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Bulls go for third straight vs. Grizzlies

Dec 12, 2008 - 11:21 AM Chicago (10-11) at Memphis (7-15) 8:00 p.m. EST

MEMPHIS, Tennessee (Ticker) -- Not even 10 stitches in Derrick Rose's left arm could stop the rookie point guard from another solid performance.

The University of Memphis product returns to the city where he played one season of college basketball when the Chicago Bulls take on the Grizzlies on Friday.

Rose suffered the injury in a freak accident Monday after rolling over onto a knife he was using to carve an apple while in bed. He managed to score 15 points and dish out seven assists in Tuesday's 105-100 win over the New York Knicks.

The Rookie-of-the-Year candidate led the Tigers to the national championship game in his only season, losing to Kansas, 75-68, in overtime.

Rose is averaging 18.3 points and 6.1 assists for Chicago, which is in search of a three-game winning streak for the first time.

Memphis has won back-to-back games for the first time, following an upset over Houston with a comeback victory against Oklahoma City on Wednesday.

Rudy Gay led the Grizzlies with 22, O.J. Mayo added 18 and Mike Conley scored 16 of Memphis' 47 bench points. The Grizzlies trailed by as many as 21 points in the first half, but outscored the Thunder, 32-19, in the fourth to seal the win.