(Sports Network) - The Eastern Conference-leading Chicago Bulls are picking a bad time to start slumping and hope to avoid losing three in a row for the first time in more than two years when they host the Boston Celtics. Chicago has dropped two straight and three of five games, and its lead atop the conference standings is now two games ahead of hard-charging Miami. The Bulls suffered a 99-93 loss versus Houston on Monday, as Luol Deng scored a game-high 24 points and Richard Hamilton returned from a 14-game absence because of a shoulder injury and had six points, three assists and five turnovers. "It was kind of like a stinger," Hamilton said about his injury. "But I was able to fight through it and still be able to play." The playoff-bound Bulls also got 16 points and 13 rebounds from Carlos Boozer and lost consecutive games in the regular season for the first time since Feb. 5-7, 2011. They havent dropped three in a row since a 10-game slide from Feb. 27-March 19, 2010 and may get reigning MVP Derrick Rose back tonight. Rose has missed 11 games because of a groin injury and is listed as questionable. "His speed and quickness looked really good," Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau said after watching his star practice. "It was very encouraging." Chicago is 7-4 during Roses current stint on the bench and will try to improve its 21-6 record as the host. The Bulls are in the midst of playing four of five games in the Windy City. Boston looks to get back into the win column and dropped an 87-86 decision to the San Antonio Spurs last night. Paul Pierces shot at the buzzer was off the mark and he finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds. "This type of stuff is not really scripted, you dont have an idea of whats going to happen in those type of situations," Pierce said. "You get in those pressure situations and sometimes they work and sometimes they dont, but the thing is Im not going to second guess my decision. I thought I got a great shot, created some space right there at the free throw line. Its just some days they fall, some days they dont." Avery Bradley scored a team-high 19 points and Rajon Rondo had 17 points and 11 assists for the Celtics, who entered the game having won five in a row and 15 of their previous 20 games. They had an eight-game home winning streak cut short as well. Rondo has 14 straight games with at least 10 assists. Thats the longest streak for any player in the NBA since Steve Nash had 10 or more assists in 14 straight games in March and April of 2005. The Celtics still maintained their 1 1/2-game lead over Philadelphia for the Atlantic Division lead and are seeded fourth in the East. They will play eight of 11 games away from Beantown and own an 11-14 mark as the guest. Ray Allen returned from a six-game absence because of a sore right ankle and scored five points in more than 34 minutes of action. Boston went 5-1 without Allen in the lineup. Boston has lost two of three meetings with Chicago this season, including an 89-80 setback at the United Center back on Feb. 16. The Bulls have won four of the past five contests between the teams and are unbeaten in four straight as the host in this series. cheap nfl jerseys . LOUIS -- Lance Lynn is making the most of a surprise opportunity. wholesale nfl jerseys . Ibrahimovics one-man show in Stockholm -- featuring what both his opponents and pundits hailed as one of the greatest goals seen in recent years -- overshadowed two high-profile matches between fierce European rivals, with the Netherlands and Germany drawing 0-0 and France coming from behind to beat Italy 2-1 away. http://www.cheapnfljerseys2015.us.co... . The Saskatchewan Roughriders running back is not only leading the league in rushing with 1,149 yards, hes also on pace to become the most dominant single-season runner in league history. [url=http://www.cheapnfljerseys2015.us.com/]jerseys from china . PETERSBURG, Russia -- And now for the gold-medal match. cheap jerseys . David Perron scored a goal and added an assist on Saturday as the Edmonton Oilers came away with a 5-2 exhibition victory over the Vancouver Canucks. SAN FRANCISCO -- With the bases loaded in the seventh inning and everything riding on Tim Lincecums latest big start, the skinny right-hander with the funky delivery dropped a wicked curveball against pinch-hitter David Wright that landed near the knees to freeze the All-Star third baseman in the batters box. Rally over. Inning over. One step closer to The Freaks funk being over, too. Lincecum struck out seven in seven innings and the San Francisco Giants took advantage of a two-run error by shortstop Ruben Tejada to beat the New York Mets 4-1 on Tuesday night and snap a season-long five-game losing streak. After going 4-14 with Lincecum on the mound before the All-Star break, the Giants are 3-1 when the two-time NL Cy Young Award has started since. "He pitched like the Timmy we know," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. Tejadas throw to first on the back-end of a potential double-play ball by Brandon Crawford in the second sailed into New Yorks dugout fence. The error handed Matt Harvey (1-1) a hard-luck loss and lifted San Franciscos spirits even more on a day the franchise acquired two-time All-Star right fielder Hunter Pence from Philadelphia. "Theres a little bit of anticipated excitement coming in here knowing that Pence is going to be coming in at any given time," Lincecum said just before Pence dropped his red Phillies duffle bag into his new locker next to the pitcher. "Here comes another guy that we have to bring excitement." Justin Turners RBI double in the second was all the Mets managed off Lincecum (5-11). The former ace allowed six hits and one walk in another step toward turning around the worst season of his career. Left-hander Jeremy Affeldt tossed two scoreless innings for his second save in three chances this season. "Im just trying to build that consistency," Lincecum said. "Just trying to gain momentum." After almost a week of bad news, San Franciscos fortunes started to change. The Giants had not won since slugger Pablo Sandoval strained his left hamstring last week. That landed the All-Star third baseman on the 15-day disabled list while the rival Los Angeles Dodgers -- who traded for Shane Victorino from the Phillies and Hanley Ramirez from the Marlins -- turned the NL West race into a virtual tie. The Giants sent Nate Schierholtz and two minor leaguers to Philadelphia for Pence just before the afternoon trade deadline. The Phillies were in Washington, and Pence couldnt to make it to San Francisco in time to be in the lineup, arriving in the clubhouse just after the game. No need on this night. Turner doubled off the wall in left to drive home Scott Hairston and give the Mets a 2-1 lead in the seconnd inning.dddddddddddd Hairston, whose two home runs powered the Mets past San Francisco 8-7 in 10 innings on Monday night, singled with one out to jumpstart the offence again. Defence failed New York this time. After Justin Christian grounded into a force at home plate with the bases loaded and no outs in the second, Brandon Belt grounded into what appeared to be a routine double play. Instead, Tejadas throw overshot first baseman Ike Davis for an error that put San Francisco ahead 2-1. "The double-play ball we should have turned over," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "We had another one of those innings." The Giants loaded the bases again in the sixth and Harvey squeezed out of the jam in similar fashion. Marco Scutaro grounded into a double play to score Ryan Theriot and added a two-out RBI single in the eighth to extend San Franciscos lead to 4-1. Lincecum rallied from a bases-loaded jam in the seventh. The shaggy-haired right-hander got Josh Thole to line out to second and struck out Wright on the curveball that left him stunned in the batters box. "Its hard to throw a better pitch than he threw there," Bochy said. Harvey gave up four hits, three walks and three runs -- two earned -- in six innings. He struck out seven, and his 18 strikeouts are the most by any Mets pitcher in his first two career starts. Four others in franchise history had struck out 13. "I dont like to lose," said Harvey, who was drafted seventh overall in 2010. "So, obviously, Im not happy about that. In my eyes, if he scores one run then I need to put zeros up there but I didnt do that tonight and I didnt do my job." A few regulars were missing on both sides. Mets outfielders Jason Bay (stiff left calf) and Andres Torres (strained right thumb) sat out with injuries and third baseman Wright was initially given the night off. Bay pinch-hit in the ninth and grounded out to end the game. Giants centre fielder Angel Pagan sat out with a bruised left hand. Notes: Mets GM Sandy Alderson decided not to part ways with Hairston or any other players before Tuesday afternoons trade deadline. "We havent given up on the season," Alderson said. "We didnt move players off the team for a reason. We think we have lots of good baseball in front of us, and Scott can be part of that." ... Mets closer Frank Francisco (strained left side) struck out all three batters he faced during a rehab assignment for Double-A Binghamton. ... The Giants recalled INF Brett Pill from Triple-A Fresno to replace Schierholtz on the roster. Aubrey Huff is expected to go on the DL when Pence arrives. Huff injured his right knee running to first Monday night. cheap jerseys wholesale jerseys ' ' '