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Rose, Bulls welcome Sacramento to Second City

Mar 21, 2011 - 2:59 PM (Sports Network) - MVP candidate Derrick Rose looks to shoot his Chicago Bulls back into the win column when the team returns to the Windy City tonight to host the Sacramento Kings at the United Center.

Rose is averaging 26.7 ppg in his last nine games and his 42 points on 11- of-27 shooting weren't enough to lead the Bulls in Friday's 115-108 overtime loss at Indiana. Luol Deng ended with 21 points and 10 rebounds, Joakim Noah scored 17 points and Taj Gibson grabbed 16 rebounds to go with his eight points for the Central Division-champion Bulls, whose eight-game winning streak came to an end.

"All we can do is learn from it," Rose said of the loss. "That's a team we could possibly see in the playoffs. I can't wait to play them again."

A 27-7 run by Chicago forced overtime, but the Pacers outscored the Bulls by a 13-6 margin in the extra session.

Chicago is still eyeing its 50th win of the season and hasn't won that many games since capturing a sixth NBA title in 1997-98, when it finished with an impressive 62-20 mark.

The Bulls will try to extend their home winning streak to 13 games. They haven't lost in the Second City since Jan. 18 versus Charlotte and are 30-4 as the host. On the injury front, Deng (thigh) and forward Carlos Boozer (ankle) are probable for tonight and Gibson is listed as questionable with a toe injury. Boozer has missed five straight games and is averaging 18.3 points and 9.6 rebounds.

Sacramento will resume its lengthy five-game journey which commenced with Sunday's 127-95 blowout of the just-as-lowly Minnesota Timberwolves.

Samuel Dalembert had arguably his best game as a King with 26 points and 17 rebounds while Marcus Thornton came close to a tripe-double with 23 points, nine assists and eight rebounds for the Kings, who won for the second time in 10 tries and ended a five-game road losing streak. The Kings blew the game open with a 21-0 run in the third quarter.

"Our energy just increased throughout the game," said Donte Greene, who along with Pooh Jeter scored 13 points. "The bench did good, we grabbed rebounds and it was a good time out there. We needed a win like this."

Beno Udrih finished with 19 points in a winning cause. Sacramento is 8-24 away from California's capital and will also visit the Bucks, Pacers and 76ers. The Kings are hoping to get reigning Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans back in the lineup soon and he's missed the last 17 games with a case of plantar fascitis.

Evans has been cleared to practice and the Kings are 5-17 without him in the lineup this season. Dalembert is averaging 18.2 ppg and 12.8 rpg in the last five contests. He has three double-doubles in the past four. Thornton has scored 20-plus points in four of the last five games.

DeMarcus Cousins had only three points in 21 minutes in the win over Minnesota after averaging 18.8 ppg and 11.8 rpg in his previous nine games.

Chicago defeated Sacramento, 96-85, on Nov. 27 at ARCO Arena this season behind 30 points from Rose. The Bulls have won four of five matchups with the Kings.