The Chicago Bulls are making things work while injuries continue to tear apart their roster. The team is focused on the playoffs and are certainly playing like it while they continue on a positive stretch of games. As the Bulls fight for position in the Eastern Conference playoff standings, getting a home game against the worst team in the league, the New York Knicks, certainly helps the effort.
Chicago is looking for their 24th home win in 27 games as they take on the Knicks in what was once a heated rivalry, but has been one-sided in the past two years. Chicago is trying to make do without Derrick Rose, Jimmy Butler and Taj Gibson. They currently trail the Toronto Raptors by one game for the third seed in the Eastern Conference as the Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers have the first two spots wrapped up.
The Bulls have momentum in their favor winning their last four of five to take over the Raptors. They looked like the better team on Wednesday beating the Raptors 116-103 while shooting 60.8 percent and going 12 of 23 from the 3-point line. Butler is having to carry the load since returning from a sprained elbow. He finished with 23 points against the Raptors while averaging 23.7 points in his past three games against the Knicks. Gibson has not looked as great since coming back from an ankle injury. He only had two points in just 14 minutes in his fourth game back from the issue.
With all the injuries, Nikola Mirotic is filling in while averaging 20.6 points per game in his last 14 games. Aaron Brooks is also excelling in added time on the court, averaging 17.5 points per game in his last 10 game. Pau Gasol is also going playing a big role. In his last game against the Knicks he put up 20 points and five blocks in the win.
The Knicks do not have much to cheer about these days, holding a 2 1/2 game lead as the worst team in the league. Carmelo Anthony, Jose Calderon, Alexey Shved, Travis Wear and Tim Hardaway Jr all sat out in the game against Boston, but the Knicks managed to win. Andrea Bargnani continues to hold down the fort, putting up 25 points in the win. He is averaging 17.3 points per game in his last 14 games.
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