7:05 PM EST (NBA) - CHICAGO BULLS VS. CHARLOTTE HORNETS PREVIEW AND FREE PICKS
Time: 07:00 P.M. EST Venue: Time Warner Cable Arena While the Chicago Bulls might have their starting center back, the Charlotte Hornets are in danger of being without their top big man for the immediate future. Joakim Noah could be available Friday night as the Bulls look to deliver a third straight home loss to a Hornets team that's dealing with an injury to veteran Al Jefferson. Already without starters Derrick Rose (knee), Jimmy Butler (elbow), and key reserve Taj Gibson (ankle), Noah sat with left knee soreness Wednesday, but Chicago (40-26) still managed to snap a three-game skid with a 104-95 overtime victory at Philadelphia.'' We have a lot of guys out," coach Tom Thibodeau said. "Just find a way to scratch out wins, hold the fort until we can get some guys back and we go from there." Though Rose, Butler and Gibson aren't ready to return, Noah could play after sitting for the first time in 22 games. Free NBA Picks. Chicago's best overall defender averaging 10.0 rebounds, Noah doesn't expect any lingering issues with the same knee he had surgery on during the offseason." We've been playing a lot of games. I don't think it's a big roadblock," Noah told the Bulls' official website. "I have to listen to my body and I'll use the next couple days to be ready." While guard Aaron Brooks scored a season-high 31, big men Pau Gasol and rookie Nikola Mirotic combined for 43 points and 28 rebounds Wednesday. With Butler down, the 6-foot-10 Mirotic has averaged 20.1 points and 8.6 boards in seven games this month.'' This team is resilient," said Brooks, who is averaging 22.7 points and shooting 54.3 percent in the last three games. "It's going to make us better in the long run.'' A day after Rose announced he needed another knee surgery and even with Noah, Butler and Gibson, Chicago fell 98-86 at home to Charlotte (28-35) on Feb. 25. Gasol had 25 points with 13 rebounds and Noah added 11 boards but the Bulls went 3 of 17 from 3-point range. The Hornets won minus Kemba Walker (18.5 points per game), who should be available after returning from an 18-game absence following knee surgery to score six points in 16 minutes of Wednesday's 113-106 loss to Sacramento. However, Jefferson (17.2 points, 8.8 rebounds per game) doesn't expect to play after straining his calf in the second half.'' He heard something pop, so that's obviously concerning,'' coach Steve Clifford said. Charlotte, though, got some good news Thursday when an MRI on Jefferson's calf and knee came back negative. The Hornets said Jefferson will meet with team physicians, who will then determine how much time he'll miss.'' The quicker we can get the pain out, the quicker I can be back,'' Jefferson said Thursday, adding ''it's not a long-term thing.'' One half-game out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, the Hornets shot 49.5 percent and allowed 41.2 during a five-game winning streak they've followed by hitting 39.4 percent of their shots and yielding 49.4 from the floor in home defeats to Washington and the Kings.'' If we're going to play like this, forget the playoffs,'' Clifford said. ''We can't win like this. ... You've got to know who you are and play to your game.'' Charlotte's Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had a season-high 23 points with nine rebounds Wednesday, and 18 with 12 boards at Chicago. Free Sports Picks. He did not play as Walker scored 23 in a 102-95 home loss to the Bulls on Dec. 3. Walker has averaged 24.7 points in his last three games versus Chicago. The Hornets, however, have not scored more than 95 points or shot better than 45.7 percent while losing six of seven at home to the Bulls.
Time: 07:00 P.M. EST Venue: Time Warner Cable Arena While the Chicago Bulls might have their starting center back, the Charlotte Hornets are in danger of being without their top big man for the immediate future. Joakim Noah could be available Friday night as the Bulls look to deliver a third straight home loss to a Hornets team that's dealing with an injury to veteran Al Jefferson. Already without starters Derrick Rose (knee), Jimmy Butler (elbow), and key reserve Taj Gibson (ankle), Noah sat with left knee soreness Wednesday, but Chicago (40-26) still managed to snap a three-game skid with a 104-95 overtime victory at Philadelphia.'' We have a lot of guys out," coach Tom Thibodeau said. "Just find a way to scratch out wins, hold the fort until we can get some guys back and we go from there." Though Rose, Butler and Gibson aren't ready to return, Noah could play after sitting for the first time in 22 games. Free NBA Picks. Chicago's best overall defender averaging 10.0 rebounds, Noah doesn't expect any lingering issues with the same knee he had surgery on during the offseason." We've been playing a lot of games. I don't think it's a big roadblock," Noah told the Bulls' official website. "I have to listen to my body and I'll use the next couple days to be ready." While guard Aaron Brooks scored a season-high 31, big men Pau Gasol and rookie Nikola Mirotic combined for 43 points and 28 rebounds Wednesday. With Butler down, the 6-foot-10 Mirotic has averaged 20.1 points and 8.6 boards in seven games this month.'' This team is resilient," said Brooks, who is averaging 22.7 points and shooting 54.3 percent in the last three games. "It's going to make us better in the long run.'' A day after Rose announced he needed another knee surgery and even with Noah, Butler and Gibson, Chicago fell 98-86 at home to Charlotte (28-35) on Feb. 25. Gasol had 25 points with 13 rebounds and Noah added 11 boards but the Bulls went 3 of 17 from 3-point range. The Hornets won minus Kemba Walker (18.5 points per game), who should be available after returning from an 18-game absence following knee surgery to score six points in 16 minutes of Wednesday's 113-106 loss to Sacramento. However, Jefferson (17.2 points, 8.8 rebounds per game) doesn't expect to play after straining his calf in the second half.'' He heard something pop, so that's obviously concerning,'' coach Steve Clifford said. Charlotte, though, got some good news Thursday when an MRI on Jefferson's calf and knee came back negative. The Hornets said Jefferson will meet with team physicians, who will then determine how much time he'll miss.'' The quicker we can get the pain out, the quicker I can be back,'' Jefferson said Thursday, adding ''it's not a long-term thing.'' One half-game out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, the Hornets shot 49.5 percent and allowed 41.2 during a five-game winning streak they've followed by hitting 39.4 percent of their shots and yielding 49.4 from the floor in home defeats to Washington and the Kings.'' If we're going to play like this, forget the playoffs,'' Clifford said. ''We can't win like this. ... You've got to know who you are and play to your game.'' Charlotte's Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had a season-high 23 points with nine rebounds Wednesday, and 18 with 12 boards at Chicago. Free Sports Picks. He did not play as Walker scored 23 in a 102-95 home loss to the Bulls on Dec. 3. Walker has averaged 24.7 points in his last three games versus Chicago. The Hornets, however, have not scored more than 95 points or shot better than 45.7 percent while losing six of seven at home to the Bulls.
