Charlotte @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 13, 2019 ) Charlotte 83, Chicago 73

Chicago hosted the NBA's All-Star weekend, but the Bulls were barely represented, with only Zach LaVine's participation in the 3-point contest keeping them from being shut out entirely. The Charlotte Hornets, who had their young talent on display during the Rising Stars Challenge on Friday, will visit Chicago as the teams begin the stretch run on Thursday.

The Bulls have dealt with a series of crushing injuries that leave LaVine as the lone starter remaining from the team's planned starting five but remain optimistic despite sitting 17 games under .500 and stumbling into the break on a six-game losing streak. "Make sure everybody's mind is at the right spot," LaVine told the team's website of the focus coming out of the break. "We're not on vacation yet. We still have to try to (get in the) hunt and make a goal for ourselves and go out there and play each game. I know I'll be ready, and I'll bring it and I hope everybody else will, too." Charlotte sits a half-game behind Chicago in the Eastern Conference but won its final two games going into the break and saw one of its players step up over the weekend when Miles Bridges took home MVP honors at the Rising Stars Challenge on Friday. Bridges scored 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting while teammates Devonte' Graham and P.J. Washington added a combined 17 points on 7-of-12 from the floor.

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

ABOUT THE HORNETS (18-36): Charlotte dropped 13 of 14 before picking things up before the break with victories at Detroit and Minnesota as Graham slowly starts to find his groove. The second-year point guard leads the team in scoring (18.1) and assists (7.8) but shot 31.7 percent from the floor during a 22-game span that stretched from Dec. 13 to Feb. 1 before averaging 19.8 points on 44.4 percent shooting over the last five contests. Graham posted double-doubles in three straight games before recording 28 points on 9-of-20 shooting and eight assists against Minnesota in the final game before the break.

ABOUT THE BULLS (19-36): LaVine was one of the notable snubs in the Eastern Conference when All-Star reserves were announced, and he scored 41 points in the 126-114 loss at Washington in front of the break to push his season scoring average to 25.3. LaVine could be getting some help soon with center Wendell Carter Jr. (ankle), who sat out the Rising Stars Challenge on Friday, likely to return on Thursday and Denzel Valentine (hamstring), Lauri Markkanen (pelvis), Kris Dunn (knee) and Otto Porter Jr. (foot) all expected back before the end of the month. Guard Tomas Satoransky did his best to support LaVine with 19 points and eight assists at Washington but scored 10 or fewer points in each of the previous three contests.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Hornets C Cody Zeller (undisclosed) and PG Terry Rozier (knee) both sat out the final game before the break and are day-to-day.

2. Bulls rookie PG Cody White is 4-of-18 from 3-point range over the last three contests.

3. Charlotte earned an 83-73 win at Chicago on Dec. 13 while holding LaVine to 12 points on 4-of-19 shooting.

PREDICTION: Bulls 103, Hornets 101