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Sports

Bulls get their fist look at Kyrie's Cavs

By Sports Network
Published | Updated

It could be a battle of point guards tonight, when the Chicago Bulls pay a visit to the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena.

Bulls guard and reigning MVP Derrick Rose hasn't played in the last two games because of a toe injury and is questionable tonight. Rose could miss a chance to show Cavs rookie guard and No. 1 overall pick Kyrie Irving a thing or two.

But either way the Bulls look to keep on moving with or without Rose and have won six of their last seven games. In Tuesday's 118-97 win versus the Phoenix Suns at the United Center, Carlos Boozer scored 31 points and C.J. Watson had 23 points to push Chicago's home record to 6-0.

Watson also had five assists and four rebounds in place of Rose, while Luol Deng scored 15 points and Joakim Noah had 13 with 12 rebounds. Watson said he is still battling an elbow injury that's kept him from playing.

"It feels all right. Still in a lot of pain during the game and after the game," said Watson, who is averaging 20.0 ppg in two games since returning to the court. "But I'm tired of sitting on the bench and we don't have any more seats anyway."

The Bulls rebounded from a loss at Memphis the previous time out and will begin a four-game homestand after their trip to the Forest City. They are 7-3 outside the United Center this season and holding opposing teams to a league- low 85.8 ppg. Chicago's 13-3 mark is the best since the 1996-97 team began the campaign with a 15-1 record.

Cleveland has dropped four of six games and is coming off Tuesday's 105-95 loss versus Golden State in the opener of a two-game homestand.

Antawn Jamison had a team-high 19 points and Irving posted 18 points for the Cavaliers, who are 2-2 as the host this season. Semih Erden had 14 points in a losing effort.

"We were getting great shots on the offensive end until the final five minutes or so, they just weren't falling," said Irving, who leads all rookies with 17.7 points per contest.

Irving is second to Ricky Rubio (8.3) in assists per game with 5.2 and is averaging 21.8 points and 5.2 assists in his last six games. Jamison is posting 18.6 ppg in his previous five games. Cavs guard Anthony Parker is probable for Friday with a sore lower back.

The Cavs lost all four meetings with Chicago last season and are winless in five straight encounters. Chicago is 10-5 in the past 15 contests in this series.