GAME NIGHT FROM THE UNITED CENTER: Pacers (19-16, 8-8 on the road) at Bulls (12-22, 8-8 at home).
TV: WGN TV: Neil Funk and Stacey King. 7PM CT tipoff.
RADIO: WLS 890 AM: Chuck Swirsky, Bill Wennington, Steve Kashul.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS: November 10 at Chicago: Indiana 105 Bulls 87
December 6 in Indiana: Indiana 98 Bulls 96.
SERIES AVERAGES: Bulls: Dunn: 17points 5 rebounds 5 assists. Portis: 16 points 9 rebounds. Markkanen: 11 points 8 rebounds.
Indiana: Oladipo: 26 points 7 rebounds. 52% FG. Bogdanovic: 19 points 4 rebounds.
Pacers avg 101 ppg. vs Bulls
Bulls: 91 ppg vs. Pacers
LEADING SCORERS: Bulls: Mirotic: 17ppg. Indiana: Oladipo: 24.9 ppg.
LEADING REBOUNDERS: Bulls: Markkanen and Mirotic each with 7. Indiana: Sabonis: 8.
LEADING ASSISTS: Bulls: Dunn: 5. Indiana: Collison: 5.
CCI 24 SECONDS COMMENTARY: It’s pay back time for the Bulls. At the UC in November, the Pacers were struggling having lost four straight but Indiana rose to the occasion allowing the Bulls to score just 38 points in the paint and Oladipo went off with a 25-6-6game. At Indiana, Oladipo drilled a three pointer with 31 seconds left propelling the Pacers to a win. According to the Pacers, Oladipo will miss tonight’s game with a sore right knee and the Bulls can’t afford a let down knowing he’s not available. Lance Stephenson had an impressive 16-15-5 game in a loss to Dallas. I’m a big Myles Turner fan. Loved him at Texas and love him as an NBA talent. He’ll be as good as he wants to be. The Bulls have won nine out of their last eleven . How can you not love these “Baby Bulls”? They compete, enjoy playing with each other, and with this style of play, the fans are loving the action.
NBA NEWS AND NOTES
Got to love the NBA. Epic rallies or epic collapses?
In Milwaukee, the Bucks trailed by 20 in the 3rd quarter to Minnesota. Bledsoe and Giannis combined for 48 points. That was a big time win for the struggling Bucks. Minnesota will be without veteran guard Jeff Teague, out 2-4 weeks with an MCL sprain according to ESPN.com.
In Boston the Celtics trailed by 26 and put on a furious second half rally to beat the Rockets 99-98. James Harden imploded with two costly fouls with seconds left. The good? Harden went 15-15 from the line and had a 34-6-10 game. The bad? 7-27 from the field and committed eight turnovers. Did Marcus Smart flop? Or did Harden just lose it?
After losing in Chicago, the Knicks had the dubious task of getting the Spurs on the second game of a back to back in San Antonio and you guessed right, NY lost.
Damian Lillard missed his third straight game with a strained right hamstring but Shabazz Napier stepped up as the Blazers ended a six game home losing streak to beat the 76ers.
Orlando snapped a nine game slide beating Detroit 102-89.
Thanks for reading CCI. Email me at cswirsky@bulls.com or Twitter: @ctsbulls.
Always a pleasure!