<div align="center"> <font color=""White"">@</font> <font color=""DarkBlue"">Detroit Pistons (13-2) </font> @ <font color=""DarkRed"">Chicago Bulls (8-6) </font> Time: Saturday, 7:30pm vs. Pistons TV: NBATVHighDef, WGN <u>Probable Starting Five</u> <font color="DarkRed">Chicago Bulls</font> <font size=""1""><font color=""DarkRed"">PG</font>- Chris Duhon <font color=""DarkRed"">SG</font>- Kirk Hinrich <font color=""DarkRed"">SF</font>-Andres Nocioni <font color=""DarkRed"">PF</font>- Michael Sweetney <font color=""DarkRed"">C</font>- Tyson Chandler</font> <font size=""1"">Coach: Scott Skiles</font> ____________________________ <font color="DarkBlue">Detroit Pistons</font> <font size=""1""><font color="Darkblue">PG</font>- Chauncey Billups <font color="DarkBlue">SG</font>-Rip Hamilton <font color="darkblue">SF</font>-Tayshaun Prince <font color="darkblue">PF</font>- Rasheed Wallace <font color="darkblue">C</font>- Ben Wallace</font> <font size=""1""> Coach: Flip Saunders</font></div> <u>Game Most Valuable Player</u> [IMGR]http://www.nba.com/media/bulls/deng_050103.jpg[/IMGR] Fresh off his best game of the season, a 28 point outing against the Celtics, Deng is coming into this game with his confidence souring. One big knock on his game this season has been lack of consistency he needs to use this game tonight to prove he can string several good games together in a row. His performance has varied depending the minutes he has received this season when he receives over 20 minutes a game he tends to go into double digit scoring a lot of times. On the other hand when he receives fewer than 20 a game, for example the recent game against the Knicks, he tends to struggle becoming a virtual none factor. Luol Deng showed another new part of his game he really has improved this season, which is his jump shot. It has made him a threat from where ever he is on the court. I think it is just starting to come around, because he is finally regaining his stroke again after his wrist surgery. <div align="center"><u> Predicted Numbers:20 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists</u></div> <u>Keys to the Game</u> <ul><font color="DarkRed"> An early lead is a must</font> when playing the best team in the league you need to hope you can get off to a good start. If you do that you begin to play with less pressure on you, and it becomes a game you feel you can win. Rather then a game you feel is a mismatch.[/list] <ul><font color="DarkRed">Force Turnovers</font> the easiest way to score on a defense as good as Detroit is to attack them while they have no set defense. There for, forcing turnovers will allow the Bulls to get out of the fast break, and score buckets easier.[/list] <ul><font color="DarkRed"> Box Out</font> Probably the biggest key to the game. We need to box out the Pistons are already a great team when they miss a shot we cannot give them another chance to score. Easier said then done with Wallace and Wallace on the other side of the ball. We need to do what we can though.[/list] <ul><font color="DarkRed">Get the best lineup on the floor </font> the Bulls do not match up well with the Pistons in terms of starting five. There are some major size differences in the backcourt, which will hurt us tonight. We should look to go with a big backcourt of possibly Kirk Hinrich and Deng as much as we can tonight.[/list] <ul><font color="DarkBlue">The Game starts ay 7:30 don‘t be late</font> should the Pistons come into this game thinking it will be a cake walk it will play right into Chicago‘s hands. The Bulls have a history of beating tough teams even when people don‘t expect them to last season it was the Mavericks this year it was the Spurs. If the Pistons don't play hard all 48 minutes they might be on that list as well.[/list] <ul><font color="DarkBlue">Do what you do </font> at 13-2 there is not a lot of negative areas the Pistons really need to improve in to win this game. They have all the tools this need, but it will be about who has more heart.[/list] My Prediction: Even though the Bulls have competed with, and beat the Spurs once no one in the league or media tends to give them credit as being a good team. This will probably be there biggest test to date this season. Not a must win, but could really be a powerful statement game for the Bulls. Like I said earlier there is no question that at 12-2 the Pistons are currently the best team in the league. However, the Bulls have been competitive in every game they have played this season tonight should not be much different. Both teams played last night so no one has an advantage of rest coming in.
Nice prediction this is a huge game, i'd love to see a win, but even just our ability(or lack there of) in keeping the game close should tell us a lot about our team.
Some quick notes I received about the game through my email due to being subscribed to my bulls emails. The Bulls have dropped 10 of the last 12 meetings with the Pistons, including 10-straight in Chicago ...Chicago won 18 straight at the United Center from the 1990.91 season to the 1997.98 season, but is just 2-13 in the series in the past five seasons ... the last Bulls win in Chicago was a 98-92 victory on Jan. 22, 2000 ... Chicago won both meetings in Detroit last season, sweeping the Pistons at the Palace for the first time since the 1995.96 season ... Chicago has not won the season series with Detroit since going 3-1 against the Pistons in the 1997.98 season.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Rasheed Wallace and Chauncey Billups flashed their 3-point range. Wallace scored 26 points and Billups added 17 and 11 assists as the Detroit Pistons won the opener of a four-game road trip with an 92-79 triumph over the Chicago Bulls. The Pistons made 12-of-23 shots from the arc while holding the Bulls to 4-of-14. Detroit starters made 10-of-17 3-pointers as Billups and Wallace sank four apiece and Tayshaun Prince drilled two. The game was tied, 49-49, at halftime before Detroit used a 22-5 run to start the third quarter. Billups scored 11 points and Wallace eight in the third period, when . Chicago appeared fatigued. Prince scored 17 points and Antonio McDyess added 10 and seven rebounds off the bench for the Pistons, who have won four straight games. Luol Deng had 18 points and nine rebounds and Mike Sweetney contributed 15 and eight for Chicago, which has lost two of its last three games. Bulls point guard Kirk Hinrich struggled, scoring nine points on 4-of-13 shooting. </div> <div align="center"> <font size=""1"">Recap l Box Score l Standings</font></div>
