Memphis @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 15, 2018 ) Chicago 111, Memphis 110

Avery Bradley has played only two games for the Memphis Grizzlies and already has posted the highest-scoring game of his nine-year career. Bradley looks to follow up a stellar 33-point outing when the Grizzlies visit the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday.

Bradley was acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers at Thursday's trade deadline and looked comfortable with his new team by making 15-of-21 field-goal attempts in Tuesday's 108-107 home loss against the San Antonio Spurs. The explosion was surprising in that Bradley averaged 8.2 points in 49 games with the Clippers with a high outing of 16. Chicago has lost 18 of its last 21 games and gave Eastern Conference-leading Milwaukee a battle Monday before the visiting Bucks closed with a 12-2 flurry to post a 112-99 victory. "We are going to get there," shooting guard Zach LaVine told reporters. "We made good strides I feel like each game in parts of the game. But we have to figure out how to win - that's the hardest thing for a young team, to make the correct plays at the crucial moments of the game."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Southeast (Memphis), WGN (Chicago)

ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (23-35): Center Jonas Valanciunas stood out in his club debut by scoring 23 points on 9-of-11 shooting and collecting 10 rebounds in the loss to the Spurs. Valanciunas was acquired from the Toronto Raptors in last week's trade involving Marc Gasol and was playing in his first game since Dec. 12 because of a dislocated left thumb. "I just play with high energy and was doing my stuff," Valanciunas told reporters afterward. "I still have a lot of things to learn, the defensive schemes, and my conditioning needs to get back. Just doing my best to get back."

ABOUT THE BULLS (13-44): Second-year power forward Lauri Markkanen is emerging and he had 20 points and 17 rebounds against the Bucks for his seventh double-double in the past eight games. Markkanen has scored 20 or more points in each of the past five games and nine of the last 13 and has collected 15 or more rebounds in four of the last eight contests. "Lauri's a great competitor," LaVine told reporters. "He's not going to back down against anyone. Lauri's an All-Star, all-NBA type player next couple of years. You see how much his game has already grown from last year to this year, his numbers. And he got off to a slow start with (the elbow) injury. I think he's going to grow his game every year."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Bulls averaged 115 points while winning both meetings last season.

2. Memphis PG Mike Conley (illness) sat out versus the Spurs and his availability for Wednesday isn't yet known.

3. Chicago PG Kris Dunn (bruised tailbone) is questionable after suffering a hard fall to the floor against the Bucks.

PREDICTION: Bulls 105, Grizzlies 102