GAME NIGHT FROM INDIANA
Bulls (19-30, 8-15 on the road) at Pacers: (30-17, 17-5 at home).
TV: NBCSC: Adam Amin and Stacey King. 6PM CT.
RADIO: 670 The Score: Chuck Swirsky, Bill Wennington and David Schuster. 5:45 CT.
SEASON SERIES: Indiana 2-0. The Pacers have won seven straight and 10 of 11 in the series.
LEADING SCORERS: Bulls: LaVine: 25 ppg. Indiana : Warren: 18 ppg.
LEADING REBOUNDERS: Bulls: LaVine: 4 per. Indiana: Sabonis: 12 per.
LEADING ASSISTS: Bulls: Satoransky: 5 per. Indiana: Brogdon: 7 per.
PREVIEW: The Bulls hit the road for three straight and look to win for only the second time this season against a team with a winning record. The Bulls are gaining confidence and role players are stepping up with hopes of the injured core players returning near or around the post All-Star break.
CCI wants to give Kris Dunn some praise. Dunn has registered six straight double-figure scoring games. In that span, he's averaging 11 points, five rebounds, and four assists. He's shooting 64% over the last six games. In the last six games, Dunn has collected 15 steals. He is a true professional.
The Pacers have listed two starters as questionable for tonight's game in Malcolm Brogdon and Myles Turner. Turner registered a double-double against the Bulls at the United Center and provides rim protection as well. Domantas Sabonis is a double-double machine with 36 on the season. He is a physical player and is just getting better and better with each passing year. T.J. Warren has flourished with a new zip code leading the Pacers in scoring at 18 points per game.
However...
Tonight's game is all about the return of Victor Oladipo who has missed one full year after sustaining a gruesome quad injury last season. Oladipo is a gifted two-way star but it will take time for him and his teammates to get back in a flow. Expect Oladipo to have a time restriction. It's unclear if he will start. I'm going to assume he will come off the bench.
24 SECONDS NBA NEWS AND NOTES:
"Game of the Night" Boston 109 Miami 101: The Celtics beat the Heat in Miami without Jayson Tatum (groin). Gordon Hayward scored 29 points . Boston became the first Eastern Conference team to win in Miami this season.
New Orleans 125, Cleveland 111: Zion Williamson with a 14-9 game in 30 minutes.
Toronto 131, Atlanta 114: Kyle Lowry became Toronto's career assist leader. The streaking Raps won their eighth straight game and are 19 games over .500
Milwaukee 151, Washington 131: Khris Middleton scored a career-high 51 points. He also added 10 rebounds and six assists. The Bucks are 41-6. Bradley Beal had 47 points, his second straight 40-point game and sixth this season. Giannis Antetokounmpo missed the game with right shoulder soreness.
Phoenix 133, Dallas 104: Deandre Ayton had a season-high 31 points.
Memphis 104, Denver 96: The Grizzlies won their third straight. Jaren Jackson Jr. blocked a career-high seven shots.
Charlotte 97, New York 92: Terry Rozier scored 30 points. The Hornets ended an eight-game slide, it was their first win since January 4.
Philadelphia 115, Golden State 104: Joel Embiid returned to the Sixers lineup and wore jersey #24 to honor Kobe Bryant...and scored 24 points.
Thanks for reading CCI. Reach out: cswirsky@bulls.com or Twitter @ctsbulls
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