The Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards are playing live on the NBA schedule on Tuesday and the game is from the Verizon Center as John Wall, Derrick Rose, Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah get in action and the game starts at 7 pm ET as these two top eastern conference teams battle.
The Bulls come into the game after a win against the Raptors and the team now plays against the Wizards before a matchup with the LA Lakers. The Bulls are first in the central division over the Cavaliers with an 18-9 record and they now have won over the Grizzlies and the Raptors, two of the best teams in the league, in successive games. The team now has another solid matchup with the Wizards and they are in the standings ahead of the Bulls overall.
Rose comes in after scoring 29 points in the game with the Raptors, while Jimmy Butler added 11 rebounds. Butler has been the key for the Bulls this season, as he is leading the team in scoring and has taken over when Rose is not in the lineup. Butler is a budding star and he was wise to reject an extension and now he could cash in big, as he could be the most improved player this season for the Bulls.
The Bulls are one of the favorites in the east and they come in averaging 103 points per game and that is a stark difference from last season. Butler and Pau Gasol have been huge and now the team is ranked eighth in scoring per game and that comes after they were last in the league last season. The team is 12th in points against and seventh in rebounds and they are also in the top half of the league in assists per game and that is why they should be one of the final teams left once the playoffs arrive.
The Wizards come into the game after a loss against the Suns and they will next play against the Knicks on Christmas after the matchup with the Bulls. The Wizards made the playoffs last season and beat the Bulls in the first round and now they are looking like they will be back there again. Wall has played very well and is developing into a top point guard, while the team was able to overcome the injury to Bradley Beal early in the season.
The Wizards come into the game as one of the best defensive teams in the league, as they are ranked sixth overall with 97 points allowed per contest. The team is averaging 100 points on offense and they are ranked 12th in rebounding and fourth in assists per game. Wall is leading the team in scoring this season and while they lost to the Suns, the team has the chance to rebound with a solid game against the Bulls.
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