NBA: Dwyane Wade still out for Bulls

by Agence France-Presse

Dwyane Wade of the Chicago Bulls will miss his third consecutive NBA game against the Boston Celtics due to an illness. He has already missed two games due to a wrist injury. The 35-year-old backcourt star, a three-time NBA champion with the Miami Heat and top scorer for the 2008 US Olympic gold medal squad, was absent from Thursday’s practice.

Wade, who joined the Bulls this season, will have another week to rest before Chicago takes the court again February 24 at home against Phoenix. The Celtics’ game is the league’s final contest before Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game.

Wade is averaging 19.1 points a game but averaged 22.1 points over his past nine games before being sidelined.

Hoiberg said the Bulls will welcome back forward Nikola Mirotic, who missed the past two games with a sore back.

At 27-29, the Bulls are seventh in the Eastern Conference, one-half game ahead of Detroit and two games behind Indiana in the fight for the last East playoff spots.