Game of the Day: March 30

Phoenix Suns at Chicago Bulls — 8 PM eastern, telecast on NBA TV

It’s not often that the Bulls are one of the teams playing the NBA’s best game of the night, but this is one of those nights on which the league didn’t really schedule much true entertainment.

That said, the Bulls aren’t that bad to watch anyway. Pair them with the best team to watch in the game, and you’ve got yourself something to watch on TV. This contest pits a waxing star in the league against a waning one, and both those players happen to fill the point-guard role.

Derrick Rose is an electrifying competitor. He’s unstoppable on his way to the rim and has the athleticism to pair the flash with the production. On the other end is Steve Nash, the constantly astounding and reliable distributor with one of the finest shooting strokes ever to grace the Association. When you pair that with the best post finisher in the game in Amar’e Stoudemire, you have quite the problem on your hands as an opponent.

Chicago has been playing well of late thanks to especially strong play by Rose and good work by rookie (and former USC player) Taj Gibson. The Bulls actually managed to top the Suns 115-104 in their January 22 matchup, in which the youngster running the show vastly outplayed the veteran.

But I really doubt the Bulls will take the season sweep. Phoenix is also playing very well of late, and Stoudemire is the hottest of any player league-wide. Averaging 30 points and 10 boards since the all-star break, he’s showing what he can do (even if it only lasts for the remainder of this season, his contract year). So chalk up a win for the Suns, who are still very, very competitive in the West. They’re trying to prove (in perhaps the final year Nashmar’e) that a stellar offense can bring home the hardware in June.