Bulls-Wizards Preview

By TAYLOR BECHTOLD

(AP) -- The comparisons are natural between the Chicago Bulls' Derrick Rose and Washington Wizards' John Wall since both were top overall draft picks who played one year in college under John Calipari.

Neither star point guard has been at his best lately, with Rose trying to shake his way out of a historic cold stretch.

Rose hopes to get back on track while remaining unbeaten in his head-to-head matchups with Wall as the visiting Bulls look to avoid their first back-to-back defeats in seven weeks Friday night.

Rose, who played one year at Memphis before going No. 1 to Chicago in 2008, is mired in one of the worst shooting slumps in league history. The 2011 MVP is shooting 25.5 percent from the field over his last six games.

At 28 for 110, he has the most shots over a six-game span with a field-goal percentage under 26.0 percent since 1983-84.

Rose missed 12 of 15 shots in a seven-point effort in a 97-77 home loss to Utah on Wednesday. The Bulls (25-11) finished with a season-low point total on 33.3 percent shooting after coming in averaging 103.1 points.

"We just wasn't making any shots; I know I wasn't making any shots," Rose said. "Losing the way we did, it hurt."

With his club looking to avoid losing two in a row for the first time since Nov. 20-21, coach Tom Thibodeau is focused on the big picture since Rose has been hurt for much of the past three seasons.

"When you get away from that competition for 2 1/2 years, it doesn't come back in a week," Thibodeau said. "You have to compete in practice, you have to compete getting yourself ready and you have to keep going."

Rose will try to find a groove against a Washington team that has allowed 88.0 points on 42.9 percent shooting in consecutive wins after giving up 108.0 per game and a 53.5 field-goal percentage over a three-game skid.

The three-time All-Star had 25 points on 10-of-17 shooting in a 99-91 win at Washington on Dec. 23. He's averaged 26.2 points in his last nine games against the Wizards (24-11), though he's missed several other meetings due to injury - including last season's first-round playoff defeat.

Wall, who played one year at Kentucky before going No. 1 to the Wizards in 2010, finished with 18 points and nine assists in last month's meeting. He's averaged 21.7 points over his last six regular-season games against the Bulls.

The 2014 All-Star, who currently has the most All-Star votes among Eastern Conference guards, has cooled off with 14.0 points and 9.6 assists per game in his last seven after averaging 18.9 and 11.3 over his previous nine.

The Wizards, who are 14-2 when Wall scores at least 18 this season, have dropped all five matchups when he and Rose have been healthy enough to play.

"It's kind of a statement game when we play these type of teams," Wall said. "Compared to last year in the playoffs, we know they've had an edge and wanted to see their team completely healthy."

Washington's Paul Pierce is expected to return after resting in Wednesday's 101-91 home win over New York, while Chicago's Mike Dunleavy is questionable after missing the past three games with a right ankle injury.