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Heat aim to snap seven-game slide vs. Bulls

Apr 8, 2008 - 1:26 PM Chicago (30-46) at Miami (13-64) 7:30 pm EDT

MIAMI (Ticker) - Around this time last season, both the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat were getting ready for the playoffs. What a difference a year makes.

The Heat will try to end their seven-game losing streak on Tuesday when they host the Bulls, who swept Miami in the opening round of the playoffs last season.

Miami continued its dismal and injury-plagued season with Sunday's 91-75 setback to the Detroit Pistons. Earl Barron lead the charge with 20 points.

"Obviously, it's not the best situation, not the situation we thought we'd be in at the beginning of the year," Heat guard Chris Quinn said. "The only thing with five or six games remaining to do is go out there and play with pride, play as hard as we can and show what we can do out there."

The Heat, who with one more loss are guaranteed to finish with the league's worst record, have had to deal with injuries to Dwyane Wade (knee), Udonis Haslem (ankle) and Shawn Marion (back) - who came over from Phoenix in the Shaquille O'Neal trade.

Chicago also is coming off a loss on Sunday, a 99-87 defeat to the Washington Wizards. Ben Gordon scored 18 points off the bench in a losing effort.

"The whole season, there's a lot of things to point at," Bulls forward Luol Deng said. "Whatever it is, we just have to take it and accept it. I thought we worked hard and prepared ourselves, physically. But there's a lot of growth that we have to do mentally."