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Bulls, Pacers clash in Windy City

Dec 13, 2010 - 4:12 PM (Sports Network) - The Chicago Bulls look to extend their season-high winning streak to six games when they welcome the Central Division-rival Indiana Pacers to the United Center.

The Bulls made it five wins in a row and improved to 2-0 on a three-game homestand with Saturday's 113-82 blowout of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Derrick Rose scored 21 points, Luol Deng had 19 and Carlos Boozer added 17 points for Chicago, which is unbeaten in its last four home games.

"We just came out focused," said Rose, who is fourth in the NBA with 25.1 ppg and ninth in the league with 8.1 assists. "This was going to be a tough game. We just tried to stay under control and not let them back in."

Chicago is 9-2 as the host this season and 12-3 when it holds opponents under 100 points. The Bulls have limited the opposition to just 95.4 ppg in their last 16 games, going 11-5 in that stretch.

Boozer, in his first season with the Bulls, has averaged 14.6 in seven games since returning from a broken hand suffered in October.

Indiana has lost four of six games and suffered a 97-83 setback in Atlanta on Saturday. Mike Dunleavy and Danny Granger scored 16 and 14 points, respectively, for the Pacers, who may not have Granger for tonight's game in the Windy City because of a sprained left ankle.

"It takes a toll on us always losing to Atlanta. They always seem to have our number. They're a difficult team for us to match up against," Dunleavy said.

Brandon Rush scored 14 points and Roy Hibbert chipped in six and eight boards in Indiana's eighth straight loss against the Hawks.

The Pacers have lost four in a row away from Conseco Fieldhouse and is 5-6 on enemy courts this season.

Chicago won three of four meetings with Indiana a season ago and is 7-4 in the previous 11 meetings with the Pacers. The Pacers are winless in their last four trips to the United Center.