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Kings, Bulls both looking for a spark

Jan 6, 2009 - 3:47 PM Sacramento (8-27) at Chicago (14-20) 8:30 p.m. EST

CHICAGO (Ticker) -- The Chicago Bulls and the Sacramento Kings are quickly watching preseason hope turn into midseason rebuilding.

Both the Bulls and the Kings will be looking to snap losing streaks when they meet on Tuesday.

When Derrick Rose joined Chicago as the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft over the summer, it created some optimism for the team after a disappointing 2007-08 season. But the Bulls have not been above .500 since the third game of the season and have dropped three in a row and six of seven.

Rose has been fantastic, averaging 17.1 points and 5.9 assists per game, but Chicago has had trouble stopping teams - allowing an average of 103.3 points. The Bulls fell to the lowly Minnesota Timberwolves, 102-92, on Saturday and are yielding 111 points during their three-game slide.

The Kings dropped their 11th straight road game on Monday, 98-90 at New Jersey, and have dropped nine of 10 overall.

Star guard Kevin Martin has played in four games since returning from his ankle injury and is averaging over 30 points in that span, yet the team has won just once.