NBA PREVIEW: Boston Celtics at Chicago Bulls (Tonight, 8:10 PM EST; TV: TNT)
The Chicago Bulls are charging through the standings like they only have when number 23 played in the Windy City.
Tonight, the Bulls can basically wrap up home court advantage in the Eastern Conference, when they face the Boston Celtics at the United Center.
Michael Jordan led Chicago to six NBA championships, but now it's Derrick Rose who is attempting to bring the Bulls their first championship since 1997-1998. The Bulls have won four games in a row, and eight of their last 10.
Winning the best record in the East would be a great start going into the playoffs. The Bulls would play the Indiana Pacers, a team that will finish below .500, if they win the number one seed.
While Rose is averaging 25.1 points along with 7.9 assists per game, and winning praise as the Most Valuable Player favorite, his head coach Tom Thibodeau, has brought the Bulls back to the top of the standings, and has an excellent chance of winning Coach of the Year honors.
Thibodeau's former boss, Boston head coach Doc Rivers, will try to stay in the race for the top spot. The Celtics are looking over their shoulder as the Miami Heat are just a half game behind them for the second seed in the playoffs.
The top seed is very important. Not only does it give a team home-court advantage throughout the playoffs, in this season, every team wants to avoid a second round match-up against the third seed.
Boston has won back-to-back games, and has been led by Paul Pierce who is average 21.7 points per game in his last three games, above his team-leading average of 17.8.
The Celtics lead the season series over Chicago, 2-1.
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