| NBA Basketball | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Sports | | | Scoreboard | | | Stats | | | Standings | | | Teams | | | Players | | | Player News | | | Injuries | | | Transactions | ||
Bulls-Bucks Preview
Chicago Bulls at Milwaukee Bucks
- The road team has won each of the last four meetings between these teams. The Bucks picked up a 104-96 win in Chicago on January 9 behind 35 points by Brandon Jennings.
- The Bulls have won 10 of their last 13 road games, with each of their last two road wins coming by fewer than three points in overtime.
- Last night the Bucks came back from a 15-point deficit (28-13) in the first quarter to defeat the Pistons by 27 points (117-90).
- Larry Sanders has blocked at least one shot in 30 consecutive games (longest active streak in the NBA), and at least two shots in 13 of his last 14 games.
- Nate Robinson, who stands 5-foot-9, had three blocks against the Bobcats Monday. Over his previous 80 games, Robinson had a total of just three blocks.
- Joakim Noah has pulled down at least 16 rebounds in each of his last four games. With one more 16-board performance tonight, Noah will tie Marcus Camby, Kevin Love and Anderson Varejao for the longest 16-rebound game streak in the NBA since the 2003-04 season.
By NOEY KUPCHAN
(AP) -- While the Central Division-leading Chicago Bulls are surely glad to have leading scorer Luol Deng back, they're plenty excited about Jimmy Butler's recent emergence, too.
His continued production could prove key during a six-game road trip.
Butler looks to build on yet another outstanding effort Wednesday night as the Bulls begin their trek by going for a sixth consecutive road win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
After receiving inconsistent minutes for much of the season, Butler broke out in a big way during Deng's five-game absence due to a strained right hamstring. The former Marquette standout averaged 14.2 points - more than double his season mark - and 8.6 rebounds while starting each of those contests.
Butler returned to a reserve role Monday with Deng back, but he didn't miss a beat, posting a career-high 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting in a 93-85 win over Charlotte.
"Jimmy is playing great for us right now. We need that," said Deng, who's averaging 17.3 points but scored 12 on 3-of-8 shooting Monday. "He just has to keep growing and get better. He plays so hard. He's been patient and he's been working hard on his game.
"I'm just so happy for him because it takes time to understand the NBA game. There are still a lot of areas he can get better at but what he's shown so far is just his hard work and he's going to keep getting better."
Though it wasn't clear how Butler would respond to coming back off the bench, that doesn't appear to be an issue.
"It's all the same to me," Butler told the Bulls' official website. "Just come in off the bench with energy, rebounding, guarding, making open shots, getting to the free-throw line. That's what my teammates need me to do. So when I'm out there, starter or off the bench, whatever it may be, I'm still the same player bringing the same things to the table."
Winners of seven of nine, the Bulls (27-17) will be looking for Butler to keep things going as they kick off their longest trip of the season at Milwaukee (24-19). While Chicago has dropped back-to-back home games in this series, it has limited the Bucks to an average of 88.4 points in five straight wins at the Bradley Center.
Milwaukee returns home seeking a sixth win in seven games after cruising to a 117-90 rout at Detroit on Tuesday. Brandon Jennings scored 20 of his 30 points in the third quarter - including a 16-0 run by himself - as the Bucks matched their season high in points.
"He really has the ability to get into a rhythm, into a zone, and he can do it quick by making a couple of shots," Mike Dunleavy, who added 17 points off the bench, told the league's official website. "Then everything's just falling. You can't get caught up in it as a teammate but it's always fun to watch."
Jennings shot 11 of 19 against the Pistons and is averaging 23.8 points over his last five games. The Bucks have gone 21-6 when he makes more than 36 percent of his shots compared to 3-13 when he doesn't.
Jennings is averaging just 11.3 points on 33.3 percent shooting in seven career home games against Chicago, though he scored a season-high 35 in a 104-96 road win Jan. 9.
The Bucks are 8-3 since Jim Boylan took over for former coach Scott Skiles.
Updated January 30, 2013
© 2013 by STATS LLC and Associated Press.Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.