Bulls vs. Wizards: TV Schedule, Live Stream, Spread Info and More

One day after losing a marquee clash with the Miami Heat, the Chicago Bulls (17-5) visit the nation's capital to take on the Washington Wizards (4-16). It's the second stop on Chicago's current nine-game road trip.

The Bulls had a chance to establish their Eastern Conference dominance on Sunday, but Derrick Rose didn't get enough help in a narrow loss. There's little doubt that Chicago is a contender, but knocking off the Heat in a seven-game series will be tough unless a reliable secondary scorer or two emerges.

It's already been a season to forget for the Wizards. Head coach Flip Saunders was relieved of his duties after the team's brutal start, but it's yet to be seen if that will make any difference. Even though Washington has some talented players, putting it all together has been a struggle.

Where: Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.

When: Monday, Jan. 30 at 7 p.m. ET

Watch: WCIU TV (Bulls), CSN Washington (Wizards), NBA TV or NBA League Pass

Listen: WMVP 1000 AM (Bulls) or WJFK 106.7 FM (Wizards)

Betting Line: Bulls -8.5

Key Injuries (via CBS Sports)

Bulls: Luol Deng (out, wrist), Richard Hamilton (questionable, groin) and C.J. Watson (questionable, wrist)

Wizards: Ronny Turiaf (out, hand) and Andray Blatche (questionable, calf)

What's At Stake?

The Bulls will want to bounce back immediately after yesterday's loss. With one-third of the season in the books, they lead the conference by one game. To optimize their chances in the playoffs, maintaining that advantage over the final 44 games will be crucial. In other words, every game is important.

As for the Wizards, it's never too soon to start talking about the draft lottery. They are already a handful of games out of a playoff spot, and there just isn't enough practice time during the condensed season to produce a massive turnaround. Better days are coming, just not yet.

What They're Saying

K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune passed along some thoughts from Rose, who hasn't lost confidence in himself despite missing some key free throws against Miami:

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"It's definitely tough," Rose said. "All I can say is, I guess God does everything for a reason. To miss both and let my team down, the only thing I can do is learn from it.

"This is so unreal. I had a chance to change the game. This time, it didn't work out. I know my will to win is still very high. I guarantee you next time those shots are going down."

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Randy Wittman, who took over when Saunders was fired last week, has had nothing but praise for rookie Jan Vesely, based on a report from Michael Lee of the Washington Post.

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“Jan is one of our higher basketball IQ people. He knows how to play, makes right decisions. Defensively, he’s aggressive. He can run the floor extremely well,” Wittman said as the Wizards (4-16) prepared to host the Chicago Bulls on Monday at Verizon Center. “He’s a young kid that’s going to get bigger and stronger, but he knows situations, reads situations well. And I’ve been pleased.”

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Bulls Player to Watch: Joakim Noah

Noah doesn't have the most talent in the world, but what he lacks in natural ability, he more than makes up for in work ethic. He has notched four straight double-doubles and has even started to improve as a distributor, with 15 assists during that span.

He's really a throwback to an earlier era when hard work was the name of the game. Now, everybody is looking to throw down a highlight-reel dunk. If he can keep JaVale McGee, who has a flair for the dramatic himself, under control, the Bulls will be in good shape.

Wizards Player to Watch: Nick Young

Young is a scorer, plain and simple. He's not a big fan of rebounding, passing or anything else that constitutes a complete player, but if you need somebody who can fill it up, he fits the bill. So far this season, he's averaging 16 points per game.

If Hamilton is forced to miss the game with his bothersome groin injury, Young will need to take advantage of Ronnie Brewer. While the veteran is a solid defender, Washington would want to win that matchup by at least 10 points if they want to get it close.

Key Matchup: Derrick Rose vs. John Wall

Rose continues to carry the Bulls on his back while he waits for some help to step up. The reigning MVP is averaging 23 points and eight assists despite defenses focusing virtually all of their energy attempting to stop him.

He'll be looking to take Wall back to school in their head-to-head matchup tonight. The second-year star appeared to be on the fast track toward becoming an elite point guard, but his assists are down and his turnovers are up this season. That ratio will need to improve if the Wizards are going to turn it around.

Prediction

Bulls 101, Wizards 96