Bulls and Kings clash in Windy City: Chicago seeks third straight win against Sacramento's high-scoring offense
The Chicago Bulls are on a hot streak, having won two games on the road against the Denver Nuggets and the Houston Rockets. They are now back home to face the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday in a game that will be crucial to their playoff hopes.
Entering Tuesday's games, the Bulls held onto the No. 10 spot in the Eastern Conference, which would be good for the final play-in berth for the postseason. But with the Washington Wizards close behind, the Bulls need to keep winning if they want to secure their place in the playoffs.
Chicago's defense has been solid this season, ranking in the top 10 of the league in scoring defense with a yield of 112.4 points per contest. They will be put to the test against the Kings, who boast the NBA's top offense at 121.3 points per game.
The Kings, who are currently third in the Western Conference, are coming off a tough loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, despite big games from De'Aaron Fox, Kevin Huerter, and Domantas Sabonis. Sabonis recorded his 10th triple-double of the season with 23 points, 17 rebounds, and 15 assists, but was limited to 3-of-11 shooting after halftime. Huerter hit 8 of 11 3-point attempts for 28 points and Fox scored 35 points, but both players did not come alive until after intermission.
"We just have to be able to take it to them for 48 minutes," Fox said in his postgame press conference. "In the second half, we gave up 80 points. You're not going to win too many games giving up 80 in either half."
The Kings' defense has been a weakness this season, ranking third-to-last in scoring defense at 118.6 allowed per contest. They will need to tighten up their defense if they want to beat the Bulls, who have won their last two games by holding opponents to less than 112 points.
Patrick Beverley will be a key player for the Bulls in this game. The former three-time All-Defensive honoree has been a great addition to the Bulls' roster since joining the team after the All-Star break. "Energy. Heart. Toughness. Vocal. He gets us going," Zach LaVine said of Beverley after Saturday's win against the Rockets. "You can see how much he cares about winning and his teammates. We definitely needed someone like that."
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The Bulls will need all the energy and toughness they can muster against the Kings, who are fighting for playoff positioning in the Western Conference. It should be a great game between two teams with a lot on the line.
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