San Antonio @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 15, 2018 ) Chicago 98, San Antonio 93

The San Antonio Spurs took part in one of the first tributes to Kobe Bryant in the wake of the tragic news of his passing Sunday afternoon, exchanging solemn 24-second violations to start their matchup with the Toronto Raptors. They'll continue to press on with heavy hearts when they carry a two-game losing streak into a visit to the Chicago Bulls on Monday.

Guard DeMar DeRozan, who grew up in Los Angeles idolizing Bryant, was held to 14 points - more than eight below his average - in the 110-106 loss to the Raptors with basketball the furthest thing from his mind. "Words can't explain it," he told reporters of the loss of Bryant in a helicopter crash that also claimed eight others, including Bryant's daughter, Gianna. "For myself, everything I've learned, basketball-wise, from Kobe, the inspiration he brought to this world. Not just that. His daughter. I'm a father. I can't imagine something like that, you know, happening. It's a sad, sad, very sad day." The Bulls have been exchanging wins and losses over the past couple of weeks and seek back-to-back victories for just the third time this season. Zach LaVine's 44 points led Chicago to a 118-106 win at Cleveland on Saturday.

TIME: 8 p.m. ET. TV: FS Southwest, NBCS Chicago

ABOUT THE SPURS (20-25): DeRozan's 14 points was good enough to tie for the team lead in Sunday's loss, and five others scored in double figures in a balanced attack. San Antonio turned the ball over 16 times while forcing just eight on Toronto as it lost for the fourth time in the last six games at home, although there was no time for breaking down any on-court issues once the final horn sounded. "Good game, tough loss, who cares," coach Gregg Popovich told reporters. ". ... Everybody's pretty emotional about the tragedy with Kobe. All of us know what a great player he was but he went beyond great playing. He was a competitor that goes unmatched and that's what made him as a player so attractive. ... And even more importantly than that we all feel a deep sense of loss for what he meant to all of us in so many ways, and so many millions of people loved him for so many reasons."

ABOUT THE BULLS (18-30): LaVine also had 10 rebounds and eight assists in Saturday's win, falling just shy of his first career triple-double. "I haven't had one before, so when it got to the last two minutes, I was thinking maybe I could get those two assists," he told reporters. "It's all right. I'll get one eventually." The 24-year-old out of UCLA has led the Bulls in scoring in 11 straight games and is averaging 30 points per outing in January.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Bulls PG Tomas Satoransky scored 19 points in the win over Cleveland after being held to eight points or fewer in each of his previous five games.

2. Spurs PG Dejounte Murray is 7-of-11 from 3-point range over his last five games.

3. The teams split a pair of meetings last season.

PREDICTION: Bulls 111, Spurs 109