GAME NIGHT FROM THE UNITED CENTER: Washington (23-32, 6-21 on the road) at Bulls (13-42, 5-21 at home).
TV: WGN: Neil Funk and Stacey King: 7PM.
Radio: 670 The Score: Chuck Swirsky, Bill Wennington and Steve Kashul.
LEADING SCORERS: Bulls: LaVine: 23ppg. Wizards: Beal: 24 ppg.
LEADING REBOUNDERS: Bulls: Markkanen: 8 per. Wizards: Beal and Bryant each with 5.
LEADING ASSISTS: Bulls: Dunn: 6 per. Wizards: Beal: 5 per.
CCI PREVIEW: Both teams are coming off wins. The Bulls are looking to end a nine-game home losing streak. Both teams will play with an edge for obvious reasons. Three players were traded and all three players (Otto Porter Jr., Jabari Parker and Bobby Portis) all played well for their new teams last night. It will be a quick turnaround for the players involved and it should make for great theater tonight at the United Center. The Wizards were expected to be a top five team in the East but injuries to Dwight Howard, John Wall and the recently traded Markieff Morris derailed any success the Wizards had hoped to accomplish. The infusion of Parker and Portis will help, but for Washington to make the playoffs they will need to go on a long win streak. All-Star Bradley Beal is a fantastic player and is putting his team on his back averaging 26-6-6 over the last five games. The Wizards are currently 23-32, 3 1/2 games behind 8th seed Miami.
FINAL FROM BROOKLYN: Bulls 125, Brooklyn 106. (Bulls 13-42, 8-21 on the road).
LEADING SCORERS: Bulls: Markkanen: 31 points. Nets: Russell: 23 points.
LEADING REBOUNDERS: Bulls: Markkanen: 18. Nets: Allen: 10.
LEADING ASSISTS: Bulls: Dunn: 9. Nets: Russell: 6.
CCI RECAP: The Bulls played exceptionally well on both ends of the floor. The Bulls spacing was terrific, shooting 50% from three-point range. Lauri Markkanen and Otto Porter Jr. each buried four-three pointers. Porter, in his Bulls debut, scored 18 points on 7-9 from the floor. Markkanen has registered five double-double games in his last six contests. All five Bulls starters scored in double figures. The Bulls have scored 100 or more points in 17 consecutive games. On defense, the Bulls held the Nets to 41% shooting and 31% behind the arc. On the glass, Bulls were dominant 50-33. A solid win here in Brooklyn in the first of three games in four nights.
CCI IN THE LOCKER ROOM: “He’s smart. He’s trying to get every rebound he can. His aggressiveness is encouraging.” Coach Boylen on Lauri Markkanen.
UP NEXT: Saturday at home with Washington.
CCI 24 SECONDS NBA NEWS AND NOTES
Washington 119, Cleveland 106: Bobby Portis scored 30 in his Wizards debut. Jabari Parker with 7-11-9. Kevin Love returned to the Cavs lineup after missing 50 games with a foot injury.
New Orleans 122, Minnesota 117: In New Orleans, Anthony Davis was booed. Anthony Davis was cheered. He wants to be traded and fans are fans. I get it. It’s very awkward. Davis, however is an elite talent and he had another monster game of 32 points and 9 rebounds. Minnesota dropped to five games under.500.
Milwaukee 122, Dallas 107: Giannis with a 29-17-5 game. The Bucks are 41-13. If I had an MVP vote, which I don’t, I would probably give to him.
Golden State 117, Phoenix 107: Draymond Green ejected for arguing with officials. Golden State at 14-2, the best in the NBA since January 1st. The Suns stand at 11-45.
Sacramento 102, Miami. 96: Buddy Hield scored 23. Harrison Barnes in his Kings debut added 12.
Philadelphia 117, Denver 100: JJ Redick scored a season-high 34 points. Tobias Harris in his first 76ers game scored 14 points and eight rebounds. Denver played without Gary Harris and Paul Milsap. The 76ers are tied with Boston for the fourth seed in the East.
Detroit 120, New York 103: Andre Drummond with a 29-20 game. It was Drummond’s ninth 20-20 game this season. The Knicks have lost 15 straight and 28 out of their last 30 games.
Thanks for reading CCI. Reach out at cswirsky@bulls.com or Twitter: @ctsbulls. Always a pleasure!