Phoenix Suns at Chicago Bulls, United Center, Chicago, IL
Tuesday, April 5, 2011, 8:00 pm Eastern, TV: My45, WCIU
Opening Line: Bulls -9.5
Current Line: Bulls -10.5
Opening Total: 204
Current Total: 203.5
Money Line: Bulls -700 / Suns +550
The Chicago Bulls (56-20) continue to close in on the top seed in the Eastern Conference playoff race and host the Phoenix Suns (37-39) on Tuesday in one of their final three home games of the regular season. The Bulls (-10.5) own the best home record in the East at 33-5 and will try to complete the season series sweep of the Suns following their epic 123-115 double-overtime road victory in the first meeting back on November 24.
Chicago trailed Phoenix by as many as 23 points in the first quarter of that game but rallied back behind NBA MVP candidate Derrick Rose, who scored a game-high 35 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and dished out seven assists. Rose tied the game in the final second of the first overtime with a layup and then scored the first five points of the second extra session before fouling out. The Bulls started the second overtime on a 10-2 run to earn the win.
One could argue that Rose began his MVP campaign in that game, and he has carried the team ever since. He hopes to have center Joakim Noah back from a three-game absence due to a sprained ankle even though Carlos Boozer has stepped up his play during that stretch. Chicago has won all three of those games with Boozer averaging 21.3 points and 10.7 rebounds. He missed practice on Monday with an illness while Noah worked out with the team.
The Bulls have struggled a bit defensively over the last nine games with the OVER cashing eight times. They are giving up nearly 96 points per game over that span after allowing less than 90 in 11 of their previous 12 with the UNDER going 10-2. The UNDER is 7-1 in the last eight games against Central Division opponents for the Suns, who have also seen the UNDER go 7-2 in the past nine meetings in Chicago.
Phoenix has lost four of the last five meetings both straight-up and against the spread and was officially eliminated from playoff contention after dropping five of the team’s past six games overall. The Suns have split their last two games without point guard Steven Nash, who has been suffering from flu-like symptoms. Aaron Brooks is averaging 13 points and six assists in Nash’s place.
All of the pressure is on the Bulls in this spot, and they have failed to cover the spread in their last two games despite beating Detroit and Toronto. The Raptors outscored Chicago 63-60 in the second half on Saturday after trailing by 10 points at halftime. Phoenix plays a similar style and will likely look to run from the start, especially if Nash is back on the floor as expected.
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