Five Things to Watch: Bulls back in action to host Pistons

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Watch as the Bulls take on the Detroit Pistons tonight on CSN and streaming live on CSNChicago.com. Coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. with Bulls Pregame Live. Then stick around after the final buzzer to watch Bulls Postgame Live for highlights and analysis.

Click here to watch the game or download the NBC Sports App, your home for live streaming coverage of the Bulls.

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH

1. Hitting the boards. Despite the Bulls' recent struggles they are still the East's best rebounding team. Their 52.4 rebound percentage is keeping them in games despite a porous defense and an offense that lacks consistency. But they'll have a huge test in front of them Monday against Andre Drummond, who's averaging 13.7 rebounds per game, second in the league.

2. The bad news is the Bulls have lost three straight games. The good news is the Bulls are 2-0 in games following a three-game losing streak. They were 3-3 in such situations last year, so the chance for a bounce-back is a good one.

3. Another close game ahead? The Bulls likely won't play a quadruple-overtime thriller again this year, but it's fun to reminisce on last year's game. The NBA's longest game since 2012 featured five players scoring at least 30 points, and Jimmy Butler (43 points) nearly sent the game to five overtimes with a triple at the buzzer.

4. Reggie Jackson is back. Reggie Jackson has returned to Detroit after missing time with a knee injury. He's playing well, but the Pistons are just 3-5 since he reentered the lineup. Still, it's clear the Pistons are a better team with him on the floor, and the way point guards have fared against Rajon Rondo of late means he could be a difference maker.

5. Niko watch. Nikola Mirotic logged two DNP-CD's last week, including one in Milwaukee that came after the forward missed a team walkthrough. Will he get off the bench against Detroit? The experiment of giving Bobby Portis and Denzel Valentine more minutes hasn't worked out that well for Fred Hoiberg. Mirotic hasn't been great, but he's probably the best option of the three right now.

[SHOP: Gear up, Bulls fans!]

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