Chicago (30-39) at Boston (29-41) 4:00 pm EST
BOSTON (Ticker) -- The Chicago Bulls can continue to move closer
to the Philadelphia 76ers' when they face the Boston Celtics on
Sunday.
With 13 regular-season games left on the schedule, the Bulls are
2 1/2 games behind the Sixers for the eighth spot in the
Eastern Conference standings.
Chicago also seeks its fourth straight win over Boston, which
would tie a mark set over the course of the 1997-98 and 1998-99
seasons.
With a 96-82 triumph over the New Orleans Hornets on Friday, the
Bulls snapped a four-game slide behind the efforts of Ben
Gordon and Tyson Chandler. Gordon scored 25 points and Chandler
corralled a season-high 21 rebounds. Luol Deng added 17 points
and Othella Harrington chipped in 16.
The Celtics stand just four games back of the the final playoff
spot even though they have lost six of their last eight games.
Boston looks to rebound from a 94-82 setback to the Cleveland
Cavaliers on Friday. Paul Pierce led the scoring effort with 24
points, but netted just 6-of-20 shots. Delonte West collected
14 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for the Celtics, who
were dominated in the paint, 42-18.
On December 17, Chicago produced a 39-point third quarter to
cruise to a 118-86 rout of Boston. Mike Sweetney scored 24
points on 10-of-13 shooting and Chris Duhon added 22 on 6-of-7
shots from long distance. The Bulls shot 60 percent (43-of-72)
overall and 14-of-17 from the arc.





