The Chicago Bulls look to avoid matching the third-longest losing streak in franchise history when they host the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night.
Chicago has dropped 10 straight games this month since last winning against the Miami Heat on Jan. 31.
The Bulls are 0-4 on a seven-game homestand as the Charlotte Hornets ran roughshod at Chicago with a 131-99 victory Tuesday.
Chicago revamped its roster at the trading deadline with players like Nikola Vucevic, Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu and Kevin Huerter going to new destinations.
Roles have changed and the club is without recent acquisitions Jaden Ivey (left knee) and Anfernee Simons (fractured left wrist) due to injuries. Collin Sexton also was acquired during the flurry of activity.
“The trades happened. You’ve got to move forward and you’ve got to figure it out,” second-year forward Matas Buzelis told reporters. “I know we are capable when we are on the same page. We have to come in every day ready to work and try to get better. When you trade half the team and bring in new guys, it’s tough. But it’s no excuse.
“When we control the things we can control, we are going to be a great team. (Coach) Billy (Donovan) always says you get 10 guys who are on the same page and ready to fight and you can win anything.”
Buzelis exploded with a career-best 32 points during the loss to the Hornets. He knocked down six 3-pointers — his second most of the season – while topping 20 points for the third time this month.
The 21-year-old from Lithuania is averaging 15.3 points while starting all 59 games.
“I am going to be what the team needs me to be,” Buzelis said. “If that’s scoring, that’s what it’s going to be. I try to figure out during the game what the team needs.”
Patrick Williams (quadriceps) and Jalen Smith (calf) are doubtful for the Bulls.
The Trail Blazers will be without All-Star forward Deni Avdija (back) for the second straight game and 12th in the past 20. He played in each of the first 40 games of the season before the back troubles emerged.
Avdija is averaging 24.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 6.6 assists in 48 games during a breakout campaign.
Portland is coming off a 124-121 home loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Trail Blazers are 5-3 since Feb. 6.
Though the loss dropped the Trail Blazers three games below .500, veteran forward Jerami Grant was pleased with the performance.
“Definitely a step in the right direction,” said Grant, who scored 21 points. “You want to win. You’re never really happy with losses. But definitely a step in the right direction.”
Jrue Holiday led Portland with 22 points one game after the team allowed a season-low 77 points while beating the Phoenix Suns. Prior to that, the Trail Blazers gave up a season-worst 157 points in a loss to the Denver Nuggets on Friday.
“You don’t want to celebrate moral wins,” Trail Blazers interim coach Tiago Splitter said after the Minnesota contest. “But we competed against a great team … a full-strength team. That’s a pretty good team out there. I think it was just a couple details that gave them the win.”
Shaedon Sharpe (calf, fibula) will miss his eighth straight game and won’t return for more than a month. Big man Robert Williams III (foot) is questionable.
The Bulls produced a 122-121 victory in Portland on Nov. 19 when the now-departed Vucevic buried a game-winning 3-pointer as time expired.
–Field Level Media
