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Chicago Bulls vs Oklahoma City Thunder- GAME DAY PREVIEW
After a disappointing home stand that saw them lose three of four games, the Chicago Bulls hit the road hoping their luck would change as they took on the surging Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Bulls are coming off a deflating 118-100 loss to the Miami Heat that dropped them to 5-10 for the season, good for 12th place in the Eastern Conference.
Will the trend of slow starts end?
The last four games have seen the Bulls start off slow, with the first quarter of each game being a struggle. If they are going to have any success against the young and hungry Thunder, they need to come out stronger right from the tip and avoid getting down early.
“We’ve got to come out ready to play both ends of the court; that’s pretty much it,” Bulls guard Coby White said. “Play with force and physicality, and that will take care of both ends.”
Alex Caruso, Zach LaVine, and Patrick Williams are listed on the injury report but are probable to play. Caruso has been dealing with a toe issue for a while now, while Williams is on the mend from a finger injury. LaVine is dealing with a foot issue.
On the other side, the Thunder will miss the services of versatile forward Jalen Williams, who’s dealing with a hip injury.
Payback time?
The teams are facing off for the second time this season, with the Thunder emerging victorious in their previous encounter with a dominant 124-104 win last October 25. All-Star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander played a pivotal role, scoring 31 points and dishing off 10 assists to lead the Thunder to the season-opening victory.
Josh Giddey added 16 points, six rebounds, and six assists in the victory. DeMar DeRozan tallied 20 points and five rebounds for the Bulls, while Zach LaVine shot poorly in that game, making just 4-of-16 to finish with 16 points.
