Bulls Face Tough Challenge With Spurs In Town Tonight

Following what has been an inconsistent start to the season with a lot of up-and-down moments, Jimmy Butler and the Bulls will be facing a tough challenge tonight when they host the San Antonio Spurs at the United Center and look to get back on the winning side of things.

Just six days removed from a 'statement game' victory over Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night, the Bulls have since lost three straight games, which includes a 25-point drubbing to the four-win Mavs in Dallas. After starting out the season at 3-0 and then winning four out of six on the annual Circus road-trip, they now have fallen from the third seed in the East to the seventh seed and own an 11-10 record overall.

This team has shown up for some games and looked like one that could possibly dethrone the defending champs come playoff time, but then they have also shown up to some games right after that and looked like last seasons' squad that didn't even get in to the postseason. Inconsistency has been this teams' number one demon so far, which is why fans have to wonder which team will show up on a nightly basis.

The good news though? Despite being one win short of tying the all-time record for most consecutive games to open the season on the road without a loss, the Spurs (13-0 on the road this season) have lost two straight at the United Center, which is currently their longest active skid against any opponent in the league. The Spurs enter this game on a four game winning streak and own an overall record of 18-4, which is good enough for second in the West and just one game behind the Golden State Warriors for the top spot in all of the NBA.

Butler, who is averaging 26 points per game and has played like a top-of-the-line MVP candidate to start the year, has scored 25 or more in seven of his last eight games and continues to be locked in. Dwayne Wade is scoring almost 20 per night himself, which will have to continue if the Bulls are to win tonight. Doug McDermott, who has missed the last 11 games, has been recalled from the D-League. He is expected to take part in tomorrow's shoot-around and if all goes well, will likely be cleared by the doctor and be available for this contest.

Is this an absolute must-win game for the Bulls? I can't go quite that far, but I won't argue against anybody who feels differently about it. I will say though, if anything, this is certainly a statement game of sorts for a team that needs to get back on track and feels highly of themselves. The Bulls struggling at the end of their four games in five nights stretch is one thing, but coming back off some rest and facing an elite opponent on national TV? That's another.