Suns-Bulls Preview

By ALAN FERGUSON
Posted Jan 12 2013 1:40AM

The Chicago Bulls have earned road wins over two of the Eastern Conference's best teams in the past eight days but they've had a bad habit of losing to struggling foes in recent home games.

They'll try to avoid another such defeat when the Phoenix Suns, losers in 12 straight on the road, visit the United Center on Saturday night.

After winning at Miami on Jan. 4, the Bulls beat another division-leading team, the New York Knicks, in their next road game Friday. Chicago, though, missed a chance for a blowout victory after allowing the Knicks to trim a 21-point lead with 3:47 remaining to seven with 1:07 to go in that 108-101 victory.

"We've showed it this year, when we really focus and lock in, whoever we play we've been able to play with them," said Luol Deng, who had a season-high 33 points on 13-of-18 shooting. "We know that when we show up, and you know, stick to the game plan, we can really play with anyone in this league."

While the Bulls have earned some high-profile road wins, they've also stumbled against a pair of teams that came limping into the United Center. Chicago (20-14) fell 91-81 on Dec. 31 to a Charlotte club that had lost 18 in a row, and was beaten 104-96 on Wednesday by a Milwaukee team that had dropped four of five and had recently changed coaches.

The Bulls would appear to have a better chance to get past Phoenix since they've won four straight and seven of eight in the series, but they also blew an 18-point lead to the Suns on Nov. 14 and had to go to overtime for a 112-106 road victory. Boozer had 28 points and 14 rebounds in that win, while Deng and Joakim Noah chipped in 21 points apiece.

Boozer, who had his double-double streak ended at six on Friday, also had 31 points in a 118-97 home victory over the Suns on Jan. 17. Deng was drafted by the Suns with the No. 7 overall pick in 2004 before being traded to Chicago that same night.

Phoenix (12-26) could use Deng's help as it's surpassed 81 points only once during a five-game losing streak. The Suns, also losers in 11 of 12, have been held under 80 in each of the last two games, including a 99-79 drubbing in Brooklyn on Friday.

With 18 points, Jared Dudley was the only starter to score more than 12. Shannon Brown had 15 points off the bench but missed 10 of 15 shots. The Suns shot 39.2 percent and have been held under 40 in three of the last four games.

"It's almost as though we're starting to lose our confidence, and we can't do that," coach Alvin Gentry said. "I think you have to fight through all of that and continue to play, continue to execute."

Gentry's team hasn't won a road game since Nov. 27 and is close to matching a 14-game losing streak from Jan. 3-Feb. 17, 1984.

Phoenix remains one win shy of becoming the ninth NBA team to reach 2,000 and the fourth fastest. The Bulls have 1,950 all-time victories.

Luis Scola had 24 points and 14 rebounds in the loss to the Bulls in November and is averaging 23.0 points and 9.3 boards in his last six matchups. Scola, though, hasn't scored more than 16 points in any of Phoenix's five straight losses and has registered more than eight rebounds only once.

Scola scores 22 as Suns beat Bulls 97-81

Posted Jan 12 2013 11:58PM

CHICAGO (AP) The United Center is becoming a friendly place for visiting teams.

Luis Scola scored 22 points to help the Phoenix Suns beat the Chicago Bulls 97-81 Saturday night, snapping a five-game losing streak. Michael Beasley added 20 points for Phoenix, which had lost 12 straight on the road and got its first road win since beating Cleveland on Nov. 27.

The Suns got the 2,000th win in franchise history, accomplishing the feat in their 3,599th game to become the fourth-fastest team to the reach the milestone.

"It was a much needed win for us," Suns coach Alvin Gentry said. "When you (win No. 2,000) against a historical team like the Bulls and all they've meant to this league, it really is a great achievement."

Carlos Boozer had 15 points and 10 rebounds, and Joakin Noah added 10 points and 13 boards for Chicago, which continued its inconsistent play at home with its fourth loss in the last six. The Bulls, 10-10 at home this season, lost for just the second time in 13 games when both Boozer and Noah recorded double-doubles.

Phoenix joined a list of underachieving teams who have recently won at Chicago. The Bulls were outhustled at home on Dec. 31st by a Charlotte team that had lost 18 in a row, then on Wednesday by a Milwaukee team that had lost four of five and recently changed head coaches.

Chicago's home struggles are more surprising considering they have won 10 of 15 on the road, including high-profile wins at New York and Miami in the last eight days.

"We're going on the road and beating some of the best teams, then coming home against lower-echelon teams and not competing," Noah said. "If we all knew what the problem was, we'd do something about it."

Phoenix shot almost 50 percent from the floor to make up for losing the turnover matchup and getting doubled up on the offensive boards. The Suns had shot under 40 percent three of the last four games and were held under 80 points the last two.

"For the first time in a very long time we played and executed well for four quarters," Gentry said.

The Suns scored just 26 points in the second half Friday night at Brooklyn, the second-worst half in franchise history.

Phoenix looked like a completely different team against one of the NBA's top defenses, and did it without one of their leading scorers, Jared Dudley, who suffered a bruised right hand against the Nets.

Scola led Phoenix with 10 first-quarter points, then Beasley had 14 in the second, shooting 7 for 8, as the Suns led 49-42 at the break.

Beasley's 20 points marked his best output since scoring 21 against the Clippers on Dec. 8.

"I was shooting tonight like I really wanted to make it," Beasley said. "It is the first time in a long time I have felt that way and had the confidence."

Chicago was whistled for four technical fouls, capped by coach Tom Thibodeau's penalty with 3:57 left in the fourth. Nate Robinson was issued one minutes earlier, and Boozer and Luol Deng were each given technicals in the third.

"We just got frustrated," Boozer admitted. "It wasn't the refs' fault, it was on us. Usually we don't lose our composure like that."

Boozer was held without a field goal for the first 22 minutes, and Chicago missed all four of its 3-point attempts in the first half.

The Bulls shot 36.4 percent from the floor and 18.2 percent from range, matching a season-low by hitting just two 3s.

"We have to play with more intensity, more of an edge," Thibodeau said. "We are not doing that. We have to correct it."

NOTES: Gentry said Dudley will need an X-ray on his right hand to determine the extent of the injury. . Chicago-area native Shannon Brown had 11 points starting in place of Dudley. . Banged up Bulls G Kirk Hinrich had one point and three assists in 23 minutes. Thibodeau said prior to the game that Hinrich will continue to be day-to-day as he manages an array of injuries.

Notebook: Suns 97, Bulls 81

Kent McDill, for NBA.com
Posted Sat Jan 12, 2013 11:40 PM - Updated Sun Jan 13, 2013 12:41 AM

THE FACTS: The Phoenix Suns took advantage of the hot-and-cold nature of the Chicago Bulls to record a 97-81 victory Saturday at the United Center, ending their own 12-game road losing streak. Luis Scola scored 22 points. For the Suns while Michael Beasley had 20 points, making 10 of 14 shots. Carlos Boozer had 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Bulls, while Joakim Noah had 10 points and 13 boards.

THE FACTS II: As good as the Bulls were in beating the New York Knicks Friday at Madison Square Garden, they were that bad Saturday. The Bulls were called for four technical fouls in the game. The Suns took the lead for good late in the second quarter, and shot 50 percent from the field in the third quarter to build a 14-point lead going into the fourth quarter.

THE FACTS III: The Bulls have lost to Phoenix and Charlotte (with 18-game losing streak) at home. They have lost to Milwaukee at home, giving up leads of 27 and 15 points. They have beaten Miami as the visiting team and beaten the New York Knicks three times. Go figure.

QUOTABLE I: "There has been a cloud hanging over us for a while. This game gives us hope."
-- Phoenix forward Beasley.

THE STAT: The Bulls shot 36.4 percent from the field for the game, making 32 of 88 shots. But after the first quarter, which was a weird exhibition of basketball by both teams, they shot just 34 percent, making only 23 of 68 shots.

THE STAT II: The Suns, ranked 27th in the league in rebounding, out-boarded the 10th ranked Bulls, who were playing at home, 46-42. The Bulls scored 20 of their points on offensive rebounds, grabbing 18 of their 56 missed shots.

TURNING POINT: The Suns led by seven points at halftime, and in the third quarter, the Bulls never managed to score consecutive baskets, allowing the Suns to build 14-point lead. The closest the Bulls got in the fourth quarter was 13 points.

INJURY UPDATE: Suns forward Jared Dudley did not play because of a hand injury suffered Friday in Brooklyn. Bulls guard Rip Hamilton went down hard in the second half when he got hit on a hard pick but returned to play. Kirk Hinrich played but remains day-to-day because of a bruised elbow.

HOT: Beasley made seven of eight shots in the second quarter, scoring 14 points in the quarter.

NOT: No one on the Bulls other than Hamilton and Jimmy Butler managed to shoot 50 percent from the field. Team leader in the bad shooting category was Marco Belinelli, who went three for 12 from the field.

QUOTABLE II: "Just understanding how quickly things can change. After winning on the road, you come home and you have to get ready all over again."
-- Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau, explaining his team's up-and-down nature.

BAD MOVE: There is no telling how it would have turned out, but perhaps Hinrich should have been kept out of the game. He missed the three shots he took from the field, suffered two fouls in the game's first two minutes, and appeared physically hampered throughout the game.

NOTABLE: The win was the 2,000th regular season win in franchise history for the Suns, and are the fourth fastest team in NBA history to reach 2,000 wins... the Bulls fell to 10-10 at home.. and are 10-5 on the road... no Central Division team has a winning record at home... Phoenix' last road win was at Cleveland Nov. 27.

UP NEXT: For the Bulls, vs. Atlanta Monday, @ Toronto Wednesday, @ Boston Friday. For the Suns, vs. Oklahoma City Monday, vs. Milwaukee Thursday, @ Sacramento Jan. 23.

• Suns: Frye, Garrett
• Bulls: Rose

• Suns: Telfair
• Bulls: Boozer, Deng, Robinson, Thibodeau

• Lead Changes: 7
• Times Tied: 6

• Arena: United Center, Chicago, IL
• Officials: #24 Mike Callahan, #7 Kevin Fehr, #18 Matt Boland
• Attendance: 21874
• Duration: 2:11