Bulls search for success versus Hawks
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Chicago Bulls will try to put a tough loss behind them when they host the Atlanta Hawks Monday night at the United Center.
The Bulls were ousted by the Phoenix Suns, 97-81, on Saturday and received 13 points from Luol Deng, who had a season-high 33 points in the previous win over the New York Knicks.
Carlos Boozer posted 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Joakim Noah totaled 10 points and 13 boards in a losing cause.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Every team has great players. This is the NBA, so you just have to be ready every night," Bulls forward Jimmy Butler said. "I feel like anybody can be beat by anybody."
Chicago is 10-10 as the host and will play two straight on the road against Toronto and Boston later this week. The Bulls were 26-7 at home in 2011-12.
The Bulls had won four of five games until the Suns halted their 12-game road losing streak for the 2,000th win in franchise history. Phoenix shot 49.3 percent for the game and held Chicago to 36.4 percent shooting.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Atlanta looks to get back on track Monday as well and is coming off Saturday's 93-83 setback to the Washington Wizards. Wizards point guard John Wall made his anticipated debut and scored 14 points. Wall had been nursing a balky knee and dished out four assists.
Jeff Teague poured in a game-high 19 points to lead the Hawks. Al Horford scored 16 points to go with 12 rebounds and Josh Smith added 11 points and eight boards in the loss, Atlanta's fifth in six tries.
"We didn't play well," Teague said. "When you don't play well, you don't win."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Hawks guard Anthony Morrow (hip/back) is questionable Monday.
Atlanta will begin a home-and-home series with the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday and handed the Bulls a 92-75 setback on Dec. 22 this season. The Hawks are 10-6 in the past 16 meetings with the Bulls, but have lost their previous three and 13 of 17 as the visitor in this series.