(My Sportsbook) - The
Chicago Bulls will play their first home game in nearly three weeks when the rival
Detroit Pistons enter the United Center tonight for a Central Division showdown.
Chicago returns to the Windy City after a moderately successful seven-game road trip. The Bulls went 4-3 on the swing, but ended the trek with a tough overtime loss to Dallas on Saturday.
Dirk Nowitzki scored 14 of his 44 points in the extra session to lift the Mavericks to a 115-114 decision, with the superstar forward sinking four crucial free throws in the final 15 seconds.
Ben Gordon led six Chicago players in double figures with 28 points, with Tyrus Thomas amassing 23 points and 12 rebounds in a losing cause and rookie Derrick Rose contributing 22 points for the Bulls.
Chicago, which also hosts Miami on Thursday in this brief two-game homestand, is 13-10 at the United Center this season and has dropped its last three home tests.
The Pistons have had their share of troubles in Chicago in recent years, however. Detroit has lost four straight games at the United Center, although the team had won 12 in a row as the visitor in this series prior to that skid.
Detroit has also dropped five of its last eight overall matchups and was dealt a 107-97 defeat at home by Phoenix on Sunday. Richard Hamilton and Allen Iverson netted 27 and 25 points, respectively, for the Pistons, who were coming off an overtime triumph at Milwaukee the night before. Rasheed Wallace finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
The Pistons have won their last three road games and are 13-10 as the visiting team this season.
In the lone meeting between these divisional foes on December 23 this season, Detroit posted a 104-98 win over the Bulls in the Motor City behind a career- high 40 points from Rodney Stuckey.
Stuckey had only eight points in Sunday's loss to Phoenix, however, and has been held to single digits in three of Detroit's lost four games.