FIVE THINGS TO WATCH

Still scoring?

1 The Rockets put up 118 points when they topped the Bulls in Toyota Center last month, an unexpected offensive breakthrough at the time. They scored 116 on Saturday in Detroit and have averaged 114.6 in the 13 games that began with the win against the Bulls, the third most in the NBA in that stretch. The Rockets made 50 percent of their shots, including 47.2 percent of their 3s, against the Bulls, still their best 3-point shooting game of the season. The Bulls, however, rank sixth in the league defensively this season.

Second-unit showdown

2 In the first meeting against the Bulls, the Rockets got 59 points from reserves, then their season high for bench scoring and still their third most this season. Beginning with that game against Chicago, when the since-departed Danuel House Jr. had 18 points, the Rockets’ bench has averaged 42.8 points per game, the second most in the NBA in that stretch.

Who plays first?

3 The Rockets have changed their starting lineup in five consecutive games. They could go back to one of their recent options if Armoni Brooks returns from a sore left ankle. The lineup with Brooks in the backcourt with Eric Gordon and Garrison Mathews, Jae’Sean Tate and Christian Wood in the frontcourt has gone 2-1 this season. When Brooks was out Saturday, rookie Josh Christopher picked up the extra playing time and excelled.

Will it be another track meet?

4 The Bulls don’t run very often but are excellent at it when they do. They average 14 fast-break points per game, seventh most in the NBA. The Rockets allow 14.8 fast-break points, the third most allowed.

Who will be energized?

5 The Rockets took Sunday off to save energy for a stretch of three games in four nights, especially after grinding through six games in nine nights. The Bulls took last week off because of a COVID outbreak that left them without enough players to play. The Bulls, however, are playing the second half of a back-to-back after beating the Lakers on Sunday.