The Chicago Bulls and Charlotte Hornets are playing live on the NBA schedule on Friday night and the matchup from the Time Warner Cable Arena starts at 7 pm ET as Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah try and keep things going without Derrick Rose in the lineup and they are trying to stay strong down the stretch as the regular season ends.
The Bulls come into the game after a win against the Sixers and they have been getting some great play from Pau Gasol this season. Rose being out has been tough, but the team is hoping that he can return for the playoffs. Rose had surgery and is now rehabbing and early reports have him possibly back for the postseason. Jimmy Butler has stepped up this season without Rose in and he should be the main target for teams in the offseason, but the Bulls will not let him go.
Aaron Brooks has been playing more for the Bulls and he comes in after putting up 31 points and five assists and now he can take over for Rose. While Brooks is obviously not the player Rose is, he can help the team and they come in at second in the central division with a 40-26 record. The team was leading the division for most of the season, but now the Cavs have taken over and they are the favorites.
The Bulls were a savvy pick by many to get to the finals in the east and maybe the finals overall, but without Rose their chances went down a lot. The team is averaging over 100 points per game and that is a stark difference from last season when they ranked last in the league in scoring. Gasol and Noah have the team third in rebounds per game and they are 11th in scoring on defense this year, which is down from first overall last season but still solid.
The Bulls are looking to get another win against the Hornets and Charlotte comes in after a loss to the Kings. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had 23 points and nine rebounds for the team, while Gerald Henderson had 11 assists to lead the way. The team comes in ranked seventh in the league in defense, but they are just 28-35 and that is solid after a slow start to the season. The Hornets next play the Jazz and the team comes in ranked 27th in the league in points per game. The Bulls are looking to keep things going and they will push Gasol tonight.
Check here for the Chicago Bulls and Charlotte Hornets live coverage.
