Celtics Host Raptors in Battle of Elite Eastern Conference Teams
The Toronto Raptors travel to Beantown to play the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on Friday.
The Raptors (12-3) looked like the best team in the league when they won 12 of their first 13 games but come into this matchup in the midst of a modest-two-game losing streak. The most recent loss was especially discouraging, as Toronto blew an 11-point fourth quarter lead against the Detroit Pistons. That's a shocking result from this team, as they simply made too many mistakes in the fourth quarter. It's really nothing to be concerned with though, as the Raptors still own the best record in the league. While Kyle Lowry and Kawhi Leonard have been playing at all-star levels, it's the role players that have really changed this team. Serge Ibaka has returned to his Oklahoma City form and Pascal Siakam has developed into one of the best power forwards in the east. Those role players pair beautifully with these all-stars and it's a testament to how well this franchise is run, even with DeMar DeRozan playing elsewhere.
The Celtics (8-6) come into this matchup losing four of their last six games, as the offense continues to struggle. In fact, Boston currently ranks 24th in scoring, with many of the individual players seeing a regression to their numbers. What they really need to do is get their bench going, with players like Terry Rozier and Marcus Smart slumping. This was supposed to be the best bench in the NBA and they simply won't be that until those two backcourt players start performing. They also need more from Gordon Hayward, as he's really declined in his return from a dislocated ankle. In fact, Hayward is averaging just 10 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game, as he's a shell of the all-star player from Utah. It's not all doom-and-gloom though, as this club still sits second in total defense. That's this team's bread and butter and they'll be fine as long as the defense continues to stifle opponents.
These teams did play once earlier this season, as Toronto prevailed at home, 113-101. Coming into the year, these teams traded off wins and losses across their previous six meetings, with the home team winning all six games.
The Raptors (12-3) looked like the best team in the league when they won 12 of their first 13 games but come into this matchup in the midst of a modest-two-game losing streak. The most recent loss was especially discouraging, as Toronto blew an 11-point fourth quarter lead against the Detroit Pistons. That's a shocking result from this team, as they simply made too many mistakes in the fourth quarter. It's really nothing to be concerned with though, as the Raptors still own the best record in the league. While Kyle Lowry and Kawhi Leonard have been playing at all-star levels, it's the role players that have really changed this team. Serge Ibaka has returned to his Oklahoma City form and Pascal Siakam has developed into one of the best power forwards in the east. Those role players pair beautifully with these all-stars and it's a testament to how well this franchise is run, even with DeMar DeRozan playing elsewhere.
The Celtics (8-6) come into this matchup losing four of their last six games, as the offense continues to struggle. In fact, Boston currently ranks 24th in scoring, with many of the individual players seeing a regression to their numbers. What they really need to do is get their bench going, with players like Terry Rozier and Marcus Smart slumping. This was supposed to be the best bench in the NBA and they simply won't be that until those two backcourt players start performing. They also need more from Gordon Hayward, as he's really declined in his return from a dislocated ankle. In fact, Hayward is averaging just 10 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game, as he's a shell of the all-star player from Utah. It's not all doom-and-gloom though, as this club still sits second in total defense. That's this team's bread and butter and they'll be fine as long as the defense continues to stifle opponents.
These teams did play once earlier this season, as Toronto prevailed at home, 113-101. Coming into the year, these teams traded off wins and losses across their previous six meetings, with the home team winning all six games.
Pacers Play Host to Heat
The Indiana Pacers play host to the Miami Heat at Banker's Life Fieldhouse on Friday.
The Heat (6-8) are coming off a win in their most recent game, despite the fact that they lost six of their previous eight games before that victory. That win was nothing to get excited about either, as they beat a Brooklyn Nets team who's struggling just as badly. Where Miami is really struggling is on the defensive end of the floor, as they're allowing over 120 points per game in those six defeats. That's a shocking statistic from a team who owns one of the best defenses in the league, as their 18th-ranked defense is unacceptable at this point of the season. What makes it even more bizarre is the fact that Hassan Whiteside is one of the frontrunners for Defensive Player of the Year, as he's currently averaging 13.9 points, 14.8 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game.
The Pacers (8-6) come into this matchup losing three of their last four games, as that stretch has erased an amazing start to the season. The competition in those defeats needs to be taken into consideration though, as they came at the hands of the Houston Rockets and Philadelphia 76ers. What's become clear in this slump is the lack of play from their role players, as Victor Oladipo is the only one who hasn't seen a drop in his numbers from last season. In fact, Myles Turner, Darren Collison, Thaddeus Young and Tyreke Evans have all seen a steep drop-off in their season-long statistics and the Pacers simply won't succeed unless those guys start playing some better ball. One has to wonder if Domantas Sabonis will usurp either Turner or Young in the starting five, as he's significantly outplayed those two all season long. In fact, Sabonis is leading this team in rebounding and field goal percentage, as he has some of the best per-36 numbers in the NBA.
These teams just played last week, with Indiana prevailing, 110-102. These teams have played competitively over recent years as well, trading off wins and losses across their last six meetings coming into the year.
The Heat (6-8) are coming off a win in their most recent game, despite the fact that they lost six of their previous eight games before that victory. That win was nothing to get excited about either, as they beat a Brooklyn Nets team who's struggling just as badly. Where Miami is really struggling is on the defensive end of the floor, as they're allowing over 120 points per game in those six defeats. That's a shocking statistic from a team who owns one of the best defenses in the league, as their 18th-ranked defense is unacceptable at this point of the season. What makes it even more bizarre is the fact that Hassan Whiteside is one of the frontrunners for Defensive Player of the Year, as he's currently averaging 13.9 points, 14.8 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game.
The Pacers (8-6) come into this matchup losing three of their last four games, as that stretch has erased an amazing start to the season. The competition in those defeats needs to be taken into consideration though, as they came at the hands of the Houston Rockets and Philadelphia 76ers. What's become clear in this slump is the lack of play from their role players, as Victor Oladipo is the only one who hasn't seen a drop in his numbers from last season. In fact, Myles Turner, Darren Collison, Thaddeus Young and Tyreke Evans have all seen a steep drop-off in their season-long statistics and the Pacers simply won't succeed unless those guys start playing some better ball. One has to wonder if Domantas Sabonis will usurp either Turner or Young in the starting five, as he's significantly outplayed those two all season long. In fact, Sabonis is leading this team in rebounding and field goal percentage, as he has some of the best per-36 numbers in the NBA.
These teams just played last week, with Indiana prevailing, 110-102. These teams have played competitively over recent years as well, trading off wins and losses across their last six meetings coming into the year.
Sixers Play Host to Jazz
The Philadelphia 76ers play host to the Utah Jazz at Wells Fargo Center on Friday.
The Jazz (7-7) come into this matchup winning three of their last four games but suffered one of their worst losses in franchise history in their most fixture. In fact, the Dallas Mavericks handed the Jazz a 118-68 defeat on Wednesday, as those 68 points were the lowest by any team all season. It really wasn't close either, as the next closest total was 80 points by the Houston Rockets. It was even uglier in the second half, as Utah's 22 points marked a franchise-best defensive half for Dallas. That 68-point effort is no doubt an outlier but it does show this club's weakness. Utah has struggled on the offensive end for years now, as they currently sit 21st in scoring. That's actually an improvement on past seasons, as this team's slow pace does play a factor in that statistic. The good news is that it was just one game, as Utah won their three previous games over the likes of the Boston Celtics, Memphis Grizzlies and those Mavericks.
The Sixers (9-7) suffered an ugly defeat in their most recent game, as Jimmy Butler made his Sixers debut. What was really disturbing about that loss is the fashion it came in, as Philly blew a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter to the Orlando Magic. Butler had trouble finding out his role too, as he collected just 14 points, four rebounds and two assists in 32 minutes of action. Joel Embiid did pick up his first career triple-double in that loss though, as he showed who the go-to guy in Philly truly is. Ben Simmons also struggled in that loss, as he tallied nine points, three rebounds and six assists. It remains to be seen if these players will continue to struggle with one another but one would have to bet they won't, as they are all-star caliber players willing to do anything to win games. It's not so much the offense that they need to figure out either, as the Sixers currently rank 23rd in points allowed. Butler should help that number and it's going to be fun to see what these three superstars do together in the coming months.
Philly swept their two-game season series over Utah last season, holding the Jazz to just 91.5 points per game. With that said, the Jazz won nine-straight games over the Sixers headed into last season.
The Jazz (7-7) come into this matchup winning three of their last four games but suffered one of their worst losses in franchise history in their most fixture. In fact, the Dallas Mavericks handed the Jazz a 118-68 defeat on Wednesday, as those 68 points were the lowest by any team all season. It really wasn't close either, as the next closest total was 80 points by the Houston Rockets. It was even uglier in the second half, as Utah's 22 points marked a franchise-best defensive half for Dallas. That 68-point effort is no doubt an outlier but it does show this club's weakness. Utah has struggled on the offensive end for years now, as they currently sit 21st in scoring. That's actually an improvement on past seasons, as this team's slow pace does play a factor in that statistic. The good news is that it was just one game, as Utah won their three previous games over the likes of the Boston Celtics, Memphis Grizzlies and those Mavericks.
The Sixers (9-7) suffered an ugly defeat in their most recent game, as Jimmy Butler made his Sixers debut. What was really disturbing about that loss is the fashion it came in, as Philly blew a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter to the Orlando Magic. Butler had trouble finding out his role too, as he collected just 14 points, four rebounds and two assists in 32 minutes of action. Joel Embiid did pick up his first career triple-double in that loss though, as he showed who the go-to guy in Philly truly is. Ben Simmons also struggled in that loss, as he tallied nine points, three rebounds and six assists. It remains to be seen if these players will continue to struggle with one another but one would have to bet they won't, as they are all-star caliber players willing to do anything to win games. It's not so much the offense that they need to figure out either, as the Sixers currently rank 23rd in points allowed. Butler should help that number and it's going to be fun to see what these three superstars do together in the coming months.
Philly swept their two-game season series over Utah last season, holding the Jazz to just 91.5 points per game. With that said, the Jazz won nine-straight games over the Sixers headed into last season.
Nets Tangle With Wizards In Nation's Capital
The Brooklyn Nets take on the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on Friday evening.
The Nets (6-9) have certainly shown some improvement in the early going this season, but they've been on a downward trend of late. Brooklyn has dropped three straight games coming into Friday's contest, with their most defeat coming at the hands of the Miami Heat by a 120-107 score on Wednesday night. Spencer Dinwiddie led the Nets with 18 points and also managed five assists, three rebounds and one steal. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson contributed 14 points and nine rebounds, while Shabazz Napier tallied 13 points, meaning bench players served as Brooklyn's top trio of scorers. D'Angelo Russell shot just 6-for-18 on his way to 12 points. Joe Harris pitched in 11 points, five rebounds and three assists, while Jared Dudley generated 10 points, five rebounds, one steal and one block.
The Nets will be without Caris LeVert (foot) and Treveon Graham (hamstring) for Friday's contest. Meanwhile, Jarrett Allen (illness) and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (ankle) will both be listed as questionable.
The Wizards (5-9) are heading in the opposite direction of their Friday visitors at the moment, as they've bounced back from a forgettable 2-9 start to notch three straight victories. Their most recent success came at the expense of the Cleveland Cavaliers, which they dominated by a 119-95 score on Wednesday night. Bradley Beal led the Wizards with 20 points while also recording three rebounds, three assists and three steals. Otto Porter, Jr. provided 15 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Austin Rivers poured in 12 points off the bench. Markieff Morris and Dwight Howard had 11 and 10 points, respectively, with Howard also grabbing seven boards. John Wall mustered eight points, nine assists, five rebounds, two steals and one block in just 21 minutes.
The Wizards come into Friday's game at full health.
Brooklyn won the season series between the teams by a 2-1 margin during the 2017-18 campaign.
The Nets (6-9) have certainly shown some improvement in the early going this season, but they've been on a downward trend of late. Brooklyn has dropped three straight games coming into Friday's contest, with their most defeat coming at the hands of the Miami Heat by a 120-107 score on Wednesday night. Spencer Dinwiddie led the Nets with 18 points and also managed five assists, three rebounds and one steal. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson contributed 14 points and nine rebounds, while Shabazz Napier tallied 13 points, meaning bench players served as Brooklyn's top trio of scorers. D'Angelo Russell shot just 6-for-18 on his way to 12 points. Joe Harris pitched in 11 points, five rebounds and three assists, while Jared Dudley generated 10 points, five rebounds, one steal and one block.
The Nets will be without Caris LeVert (foot) and Treveon Graham (hamstring) for Friday's contest. Meanwhile, Jarrett Allen (illness) and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (ankle) will both be listed as questionable.
The Wizards (5-9) are heading in the opposite direction of their Friday visitors at the moment, as they've bounced back from a forgettable 2-9 start to notch three straight victories. Their most recent success came at the expense of the Cleveland Cavaliers, which they dominated by a 119-95 score on Wednesday night. Bradley Beal led the Wizards with 20 points while also recording three rebounds, three assists and three steals. Otto Porter, Jr. provided 15 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Austin Rivers poured in 12 points off the bench. Markieff Morris and Dwight Howard had 11 and 10 points, respectively, with Howard also grabbing seven boards. John Wall mustered eight points, nine assists, five rebounds, two steals and one block in just 21 minutes.
The Wizards come into Friday's game at full health.
Brooklyn won the season series between the teams by a 2-1 margin during the 2017-18 campaign.
Knicks Head To Bayou For Battle With Pelicans
The New York Knicks take on the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Arena on Friday evening.
The Knicks (4-11) knew that this season would likely be a challenging one with Kristaps Porzingis out for an extended period due to a knee injury, and it's been about as daunting as expected thus far. New York comes into Friday's contest on a downswing, as they've dropped three straight, and five of the last six overall. Their most recent defeat was a blowout loss to the OKC Thunder, which toppled them by a 128-103 margin on Wednesday night. Tim Hardaway, Jr. paced New York with 20 points and added three rebounds and an assist. Enes Kanter followed with a bench-leading 19 points while also hauling in five rebounds. Rookie first-round pick Kevin Knox started and produced 15 points and five boards. Allonzo Trier pitched in 11 points and five rebounds off the bench.
The Knicks will continue to be without Courtney Lee (neck) and Lance Thomas (knee) for Friday's game. Mitchell Robinson is listed as probable with an ankle injury.
The Pelicans (7-7) have been the epitome of a streaky team thus far, as they recently followed up a season-opening four-game winning streak with six consecutive losses. In turn, they answered that stretch with three straight victories before dropping a 107-100 decision to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night. E'Twaun Moore paced New Orleans with 31 points and added four assists, four rebounds and one steal. Anthony Davis generated a 29-point, 11-rebound double-double that also included two assists, four blocks and two steals. Nikola Mirotic returned from an ankle injury to pour in 16 points and haul in 10 rebounds. Jrue Holiday accomplished the feat as well, tallying 14 points, 10 assists and four rebounds.
The Pelicans will list Elfrid Payton as a game-time decision with the ankle injury that's already cost nine games.
The two teams split the two-game season series during the 2017-18 campaign.
The Knicks (4-11) knew that this season would likely be a challenging one with Kristaps Porzingis out for an extended period due to a knee injury, and it's been about as daunting as expected thus far. New York comes into Friday's contest on a downswing, as they've dropped three straight, and five of the last six overall. Their most recent defeat was a blowout loss to the OKC Thunder, which toppled them by a 128-103 margin on Wednesday night. Tim Hardaway, Jr. paced New York with 20 points and added three rebounds and an assist. Enes Kanter followed with a bench-leading 19 points while also hauling in five rebounds. Rookie first-round pick Kevin Knox started and produced 15 points and five boards. Allonzo Trier pitched in 11 points and five rebounds off the bench.
The Knicks will continue to be without Courtney Lee (neck) and Lance Thomas (knee) for Friday's game. Mitchell Robinson is listed as probable with an ankle injury.
The Pelicans (7-7) have been the epitome of a streaky team thus far, as they recently followed up a season-opening four-game winning streak with six consecutive losses. In turn, they answered that stretch with three straight victories before dropping a 107-100 decision to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night. E'Twaun Moore paced New Orleans with 31 points and added four assists, four rebounds and one steal. Anthony Davis generated a 29-point, 11-rebound double-double that also included two assists, four blocks and two steals. Nikola Mirotic returned from an ankle injury to pour in 16 points and haul in 10 rebounds. Jrue Holiday accomplished the feat as well, tallying 14 points, 10 assists and four rebounds.
The Pelicans will list Elfrid Payton as a game-time decision with the ankle injury that's already cost nine games.
The two teams split the two-game season series during the 2017-18 campaign.
Timberwolves Look To Keep Rolling
By Dan Bruno
The Minnesota Timberwolves play host to the Portland Trail Blazers, at Target Center on Friday evening.
This marks the third game of a five-game home stand for the Timberwolves (6-9), where they have gone 2-0 so far. The T-Wolves' last two wins have come since the Jimmy Butler trade, the first one without their new additions in the line up and the second win, with the help of Robert Covington and Dario Saric. Covington started at small forward for Minnesota, and finished with 13 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block, in 41 minutes. Saric came off the bench and added nine points, three rebounds, two steals and one assist, in 20 minutes. So far the new-look Timberwolves have shown life, led by Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns, who both had a couple strong showings in their recent wins. The Timberwolves sit 14th place in the West, but are 6-1 at home.
Meanwhile, the Trail Blazers (10-4) are coming off a tough loss in Los Angeles, against the Lakers, in their last outing. This marks the second game of a six-game road trip for the Trail Blazers, who are 3-2 on the road so far this season. Portland holds the second spot in the West, one-game behind the first seed. Damian Lillard has been great so far, averaging 26.4 points, 6.2 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game. Jusuf Nurkic has been solid as well, averaging 15.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. The Trail Blazers average 115.9 points per game, which is seventh best in the league.
This marks the third game of a five-game home stand for the Timberwolves (6-9), where they have gone 2-0 so far. The T-Wolves' last two wins have come since the Jimmy Butler trade, the first one without their new additions in the line up and the second win, with the help of Robert Covington and Dario Saric. Covington started at small forward for Minnesota, and finished with 13 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block, in 41 minutes. Saric came off the bench and added nine points, three rebounds, two steals and one assist, in 20 minutes. So far the new-look Timberwolves have shown life, led by Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns, who both had a couple strong showings in their recent wins. The Timberwolves sit 14th place in the West, but are 6-1 at home.
Meanwhile, the Trail Blazers (10-4) are coming off a tough loss in Los Angeles, against the Lakers, in their last outing. This marks the second game of a six-game road trip for the Trail Blazers, who are 3-2 on the road so far this season. Portland holds the second spot in the West, one-game behind the first seed. Damian Lillard has been great so far, averaging 26.4 points, 6.2 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game. Jusuf Nurkic has been solid as well, averaging 15.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. The Trail Blazers average 115.9 points per game, which is seventh best in the league.
Grizzlies, Kings Looking To Maintain Hot Starts
By Dan Bruno
The Memphis Grizzlies play host to the Sacramento Kings, at FedEx Forum on Friday evening.
The Grizzlies (8-5) have had a great start to their season, pulling off some impressive wins, including in their last contest, where they defeated the host Milwaukee Bucks, 116-113, behind 29 points from Marc Gasol and 26 points from Mike Conley. The Grizzlies sit fifth place in the West, with an impressive 5-1 home record. They have also gotten back to their defensive ways, holding opponents to an average of 101.6 points per game, which is the lowest in the NBA. Conley has been excellent so far, leading the team with 19.2 points, 5.6 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game, while Gasol has been solid, averaging 15.9 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game.
Meanwhile, the Kings (8-6) have also had an impressive start to their season, including a, 104-99, home win over the Spurs in their last contest. The Kings already beat the Grizzlies once this season, when they faced off in Sacramento in late October. This marks the first game of a two-game road trip for the Kings, who are 4-3 on the road so far. De'Aaron Fox has been off to a great start, averaging 18.7 points, 7.1 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game. Willie Cauley-Stein has also been playing great for Sacramento, averaging 16.5 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. The Kings got a boost recently, as Bogdan Bogdanovic returned to the lineup, after missing the first 10 games of the season. However, the Kings have some work to do on the defensive end, where they are allowing an average of 115.5 points per game, which is fifth worst in the league.
The Grizzlies (8-5) have had a great start to their season, pulling off some impressive wins, including in their last contest, where they defeated the host Milwaukee Bucks, 116-113, behind 29 points from Marc Gasol and 26 points from Mike Conley. The Grizzlies sit fifth place in the West, with an impressive 5-1 home record. They have also gotten back to their defensive ways, holding opponents to an average of 101.6 points per game, which is the lowest in the NBA. Conley has been excellent so far, leading the team with 19.2 points, 5.6 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game, while Gasol has been solid, averaging 15.9 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game.
Meanwhile, the Kings (8-6) have also had an impressive start to their season, including a, 104-99, home win over the Spurs in their last contest. The Kings already beat the Grizzlies once this season, when they faced off in Sacramento in late October. This marks the first game of a two-game road trip for the Kings, who are 4-3 on the road so far. De'Aaron Fox has been off to a great start, averaging 18.7 points, 7.1 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game. Willie Cauley-Stein has also been playing great for Sacramento, averaging 16.5 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. The Kings got a boost recently, as Bogdan Bogdanovic returned to the lineup, after missing the first 10 games of the season. However, the Kings have some work to do on the defensive end, where they are allowing an average of 115.5 points per game, which is fifth worst in the league.
Bucks Play Host To Central-Division Rivals
By Dan Bruno
The Milwaukee Bucks play host to the Chicago Bulls, at BMO Harris Bradley Center on Friday evening.
This marks the second game of a six-game home stand for the Bucks (10-4), who are coming off a tough, 116-113, home loss against the Grizzlies. Nonetheless, the Bucks have a great, 6-1, home record and sit second place in the Eastern Conference. They are averaging 121.0 points per game, which is the most in the league so far this season. Giannis Antetokounmpo has been leading the way, averaging 25.8 points, 12.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.4 steals per game. Khris Middleton has been off to a great start as well, averaging 19.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.2 steals per game. Brook Lopez has been a welcome addition, helping the Bucks spread the floor and contributing to their league-leading offense, with 12.5 points per game, while shooting 41 percent from beyond the arc.
Meanwhile, the Bulls (4-11) have dropped two in a row and have yet to find a groove, as they sit 12th place in the East, three games out of the eighth spot. They are 2-5 on the road so far, including a loss in Boston in their last contest. The Bulls have been shorthanded most of the season, missing key players, including Bobby Portis (knee), Kris Dunn (knee), Denzel Valentine (ankle) and Lauri Markkanen (elbow). Nonetheless, Zach LaVine has been playing great, averaging 25.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game.
This marks the second game of a six-game home stand for the Bucks (10-4), who are coming off a tough, 116-113, home loss against the Grizzlies. Nonetheless, the Bucks have a great, 6-1, home record and sit second place in the Eastern Conference. They are averaging 121.0 points per game, which is the most in the league so far this season. Giannis Antetokounmpo has been leading the way, averaging 25.8 points, 12.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.4 steals per game. Khris Middleton has been off to a great start as well, averaging 19.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.2 steals per game. Brook Lopez has been a welcome addition, helping the Bucks spread the floor and contributing to their league-leading offense, with 12.5 points per game, while shooting 41 percent from beyond the arc.
Meanwhile, the Bulls (4-11) have dropped two in a row and have yet to find a groove, as they sit 12th place in the East, three games out of the eighth spot. They are 2-5 on the road so far, including a loss in Boston in their last contest. The Bulls have been shorthanded most of the season, missing key players, including Bobby Portis (knee), Kris Dunn (knee), Denzel Valentine (ankle) and Lauri Markkanen (elbow). Nonetheless, Zach LaVine has been playing great, averaging 25.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game.