Division Leaders Collide: Bulls Versus Blazers

The Chicago Bulls will be looking to make a statement tonight when they take on the first-place Portland Trail Blazers at home.

The Trail Blazers are red hot. They are 5-1 straight up and have been very kind to Blazer bettors going 7-1 against the spread in their last eight games.

Things have been mixed for Chicago lately.  They are 6-12 against the spread in their last 18 games and 5-5 straight up in their last ten. However, they are tied for first place in the Eastern Conference Central division.

The Bulls will be looking to the oft-injured Derrick Rose to help them make their statement tonight.

Rose has had mixed results since making his return, often sitting on the bench. However, during the Bulls 105-80 domination of the Brooklyn Nets, Rose scored 23 points. The game also marked Rose’s eighth consecutive start since 2012. The win also snapped a three-game home losing streak.

The Bulls need Rose to be playing at an MVP-caliber level if they are going to make a serious run at an NBA Championship, as the Eastern Conference is beginning to take a more complicated shape than first thought, with the Blazers, Washington Wizards and Toronto Raptors having better-than-expected seasons and the Cleveland Cavilers finally pulling it together.

The Bulls lost to Portland on Nov. 21 in a one-sided 105-87 loss. Rose missed that game as did Pau Gasol and Kirk Hinrich.

Portland is looking to bounce back from an upset lost to the Minnesota Timber Wolves, 90-82. The loss snapped a five-game wining streak.

The Bulls are the –2.5 favorites to win this game. They are 5-7 when playing aginst the spread. Portland is 8-3 against the spread. The total is set at 199 points.

The game starts at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.