Jan 12, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Phoenix Suns small forward Michael Beasley (0) dunks in the second quarter against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

The Phoenix Suns have snapped a five-game losing streak after dominating the Chicago Bulls 97-81.

Michael Beasley emerged for 20 points to lead the Suns’ bench for the team’s first road win since Nov. 27 in Cleveland against the Cavaliers. Additionally, this victory breaks the Suns’ five-game losing streak to improve their road record to 3-17. Beasley said this victory has given the Suns a stronger sense of optimism moving forward with the rest of the season.

“There has been a cloud hanging over us for a while,” Beasley explained. “This game gives us hope.”

Coach Alvin Gentry also explained that this being the franchise’s 2,000th win has an added dimension as it was against one of the more prestigious organizations.

“It was a much needed win for us,” Suns coach Alvin Gentry said. “When you (win No. 2,000) against a historical team like the Bulls and all they’ve meant to this league, it really is a great achievement.”

Conversely, the Bulls are now 10-10 at home. Coach Tom Thibodeau noted that Chicago has displayed a certain level of inconsistency that needs to be understood and addressed.

“Just understanding how quickly things can change,” Thibodeau said. “After winning on the road, you come home and you have to get ready all over again.”

Following the Phoenix Suns’ dreadful second-half meltdown against the Nets, it was nearly impossible to be anything but pessimistic going into Chicago Saturday night. This sentiment could only be reinforced after considering the Bulls’ impressive performance in Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks. Regardless, a number of people might have perceived this matchup as a potential trap game for Chicago.

Fortunately for the Phoenix Suns, those individuals were absolutely right.

The Suns entered this game limited offensively without Jared Dudley, who suffered a right wrist strain Friday in Brooklyn. So, once the team’s best big man in Marcin Gortat started the first quarter with two early personal fouls, Phoenix’s chances initially seemed bleak at best.

Yet despite these collective complications, the Phoenix Suns were able to start the game only down 21-20 thanks to the Chicago Bulls committing four turnovers and shooting 0-2 from beyond the 3-point line. The player who stood out on the floor was the Suns’ other low-post player, Luis Scola.

With just over six minutes to go in the second quarter, Scola led both teams in scoring with 14 points and finished with 22 points and seven rebounds. This initial performance appeared to be the launching pad for Beasley to explode for 14 points in the last nine minutes of the first half. Beasley ended the second quarter shooting 7-8 from the field to uplift the Suns to a 49-42 halftime lead over the Bulls.

However, the lingering question became could the Phoenix Suns carry this intense and fiery first half into the start of the third quarter?

By the start of the second half, Suns appeared to answer with an aggressive yes, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Ironically, Phoenix showcased tremendous team defense against a Bulls’ roster that regularly demonstrates defensive prowess. P.J. Tucker actively illustrated this from his play against Luol Deng, who scored 33 points the previous night against the Knicks. Deng finished the game with just 13 points, five rebounds and two assists.

The Suns overall defense versus the Bulls was equally impressive after holding Chicago to an abysmal 36 percent from the field. Although Phoenix still struggled with 17 total turnovers, the Suns as a team out-gained the Bulls with 23 assists, 11 blocks as well as 47 points off the bench. In spite of his injury, Dudley was able to post a Twitter message of the Suns victory over the Bulls.

“Great thing about basketball it’s a team sport! Not 1 person is bigger then the team,” Dudley said in a tweet. “Great win in Chicago!!!! Lets go home!!”

Apr 5, 2011; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls power forward Carlos Boozer (5) drives past Phoenix Suns center Marcin Gortat (4) in the second half at the United Center. The Bulls defeated the Suns 97-94. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

The Phoenix Suns losers of 12 straight games on the road will take on the Chicago Bulls tonight at the United Center in Chicago to close out their four game road trip before heading back to Phoenix on Monday to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Both teams are playing the 2nd game of their back-to-back as the Bulls beat the New York Knicks last night while the Suns lost to the Knick’s crosstown rival the Brooklyn Nets on the same evening.

The Suns have lost 11 of their last 12 games and are currently only one game better than the New Orleans Hornets who owns the worst record in the western conference.

“It’s almost as though we’re starting to lose our confidence, and we can’t do that,” coach Alvin Gentry said. “I think you have to fight through all of that and continue to play, continue to execute.”

Heading into tonight’s game between the Suns and the Bulls, the Bulls are the favorite by a margin of 8.5 points according to ESPN.com. The Suns are injury free while the Bulls has Kirk Hinrich listed on the injured list as day-to-day and former MVP Derrick Rose is still a few weeks away from returning from his torn ACL which he suffered last April during the first game of the playoffs.

Keys to the game: Suns

- Show some heart! The Suns play on the court reflects a lot of things but one thing it doesn’t reflect is heart! The Suns need to go out there tonight and show Planet Orange that as a group they still got some fight left in them.

- Keep the turnovers under double digits. The Suns struggle enough offensively as it is, the last thing they need is to give the other team easy opportunities by coughing up the basketball.

- Attack the Bulls defense! The Bulls will let you shoot contested jumpers all day long because it plays right into their hands. If the Suns want to find success offensively they need to attack the Bulls at the rim relentlessly and get to the foul line. If the Suns are complacent with contested 20-footers throughout the game it’s going to be a long night; seems like there’s been a lot of those lately…..[If you're a Suns fan anyway]

Keys to the game: Bulls

- Don’t stoop to their level. As in don’t stoop to the Suns level. One thing that’s hurt the Bulls this season is that at times it seems like they play to the level of their competition, the Bulls this season has lost twice to the Bucks, once to the Hornets and once to the Bobcats. Meanwhile they have three wins over the Knicks, and against the Heat. The Bulls need to continue their winning ways as they set the stage for the return of Derrick Rose.

- It’s called home court advantage, use it! The Bulls has been highly unimpressive at home, in fact they have a better road record than they do home record. The Bulls are 10-9 at the United Center this season and they need to start winning some games there.

- Feed the Deng! Loul Deng in the last 3 games is averaging 23.3 points on 61.4% shooting from the floor and without Derrick Rose, Deng is the Bull’s best offensive weapon. Chicago should look to get him involved early like they did the last against New York when Deng dropped 21 points in the 1st half alone.

The X-Factor! 

- The century mark. The Chicago Bulls are 8-0 this season when they score 100 or more points.

Match-up of the night!

- For the 2nd straight game I think the best match-up will definitely be between the centers, Marcin Gortat vs. Joakim Noah. Gortat did a great job on Brook Lopez last night being physical with him and forcing him into bad looks however the guy Gortat has to guard tonight is a completely different player than Lopez. Noah’s trademark hustle and energy on both ends of the floor is what makes him such a special player, Gortat will have to work very hard tonight to keep that in check.