Warriors-Bulls Preview

The Chicago Bulls are coming off their best scoring performance of the season. They'll try for another strong offensive effort Friday night when they host the high-scoring Golden State Warriors.

The Bulls (15-22) have won six consecutive home games against the Warriors (23-17), dating back to an 84-78 loss on Feb. 26, 2001.

In this matchup, they'll try to build on their highest-scoring game of the season -- a 126-96 victory at Miami on Wednesday. Four Chicago players scored 20 points or more as the Bulls bounced back from consecutive road losses in which they'd failed to reach 90 points.

"I'm really pleased with the way our guys responded," Bulls coach Jim Boylan said. "It has been a tough week for us and a tough road trip. With all that's been swirling around us we didn't want to go home with another loss. This is nice for the guys."

Chicago's scoring outburst increased its season average to 94.6 points -- still a far cry from Golden State's 108.5. The Warriors, though, allow an NBA-high 107.2 points per game due to their up-tempo offensive play.

That could bode well for the Bulls, who are looking to win consecutive games for just the fourth time this season.

Their struggles have been particularly evident at home, where they are 7-10 -- matching their total home losses from last season, when they finished 31-10 at the United Center.

The Bulls, who play six of their next seven games in Chicago, were booed off the court after their last home game, a 105-100 loss Jan. 8 to struggling New York.

"Everybody gets frustrated, coaches, GM, owners, fans, everybody," Bulls center Ben Wallace said. "It's up to us in this locker room to get this thing turned around."

The Bulls might have guard Kirk Hinrich back Friday after he missed the last two games with back spasms.

If Hinrich can't play, that could mean more scoring responsibility for Ben Gordon, who had 24 points off the bench against the Heat after totaling 12 in the previous two contests.

The Warriors are looking to rebound from a 125-117 loss at Indiana on Wednesday. They set a league record for steals in a quarter with 12 in the first, but eventually squandered a 17-point, second-half lead.

"We were supposed to win this game but we didn't play the full 48 minutes," said Golden State's Al Harrington, who had 22 points. "We did a great job in the first three quarters of hitting shots and building a lead, but we just fell apart. Now we have to go to Chicago and regroup."

Baron Davis, the team leader with 22.1 points and 8.2 assists per game, had 24 points and seven assists against the Pacers. The point guard did not play in either matchup against Chicago last season due to left knee surgery.