NEWSLETTER
Let’s carry the momentum over, boys.
Broadcast Info
Houston Rockets at Chicago Bulls (7:00 CT) on NBC Sports Chicago, 670 The Score (Audio)
Chicago Bulls
Projected Starters:
1. Coby White
2. Zach LaVine
3. Garrett Temple
4. Lauri Markkanen
5. Wendell Carter Jr.
Injury Report: Patrick Williams OUT (hip), Otto Porter OUT (back), Tomas Satoransky OUT (NBA Protocol), Chandler Hutchison OUT (NBA Protocol), Devon Dotson OUT (Not With Team), Luke Kornet OUT (Not With Team)
Houston Rockets
Projected Starters:
1. Victor Oladipo
2. Ben McLemore
3. Ja’Sean Tate
4. PJ Tucker
5. Christian Wood
Injury report: John Wall OUT (knee)
What to Watch For
• Victor Oladipo will make his Rockets debut tonight, which means I’m sure he is (1) hungry to start things off on a good note and (2) super happy he’s playing the Bulls. The former-Pacers star has found nothing but success against the Bulls in recent history (has averaged 20.0ppg against them in his career), and with John Wall sidelined tonight, he will have every opportunity to hurt them yet again.
• Big man Christian Wood is on a path toward stardom. He is currently averaging 23.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game, as well as shooting 52.2 percent from the field and a serviceable 34.0 percent from downtown. There is no question the team will try to run a fair share of their offense through the big man tonight, and it could very well prove to be Wendell Carter Jr.’s toughest challenge of the season thus far.
• With that said, Wood’s presence has not necessarily prevented teams from destroying Houston in the paint. The Rockets are giving up the 3rd-most points inside each game, which opens the door for the Bulls big men to have another strong night from the field (Markkanen, Carter Jr., and Young combined for 56 of the Bulls 117 points against the Mavericks on Sunday, and only 9 of those points came behind the arc).
• The Bulls turned the ball over just 14 times yesterday. A step in the right direction.
• Coby White needs a bounce-back game. The Mavericks matchup was only the second time he has ever failed to score a bucket.
• DO IT AGAIN, LAURI!
Get Caught Up …
• With Porter and Williams missing tonight’s games, the Bulls defense is bound to struggle even more.
Otto Porter Jr.'s back is "feeling fine" but he has a little stiffness and tightness, Billy Donovan says.
He'll sit out tonight on second end of the back-to-back.
Patrick Williams (hip) is questionable tonight. He has stiffness. He'll warm up.
— Cody Westerlund (@CodyWesterlund) January 18, 2021
Bulls Weekly Preview: Rockets, Hornets, Lakers – January 18-23, 2021https://t.co/fNCaRltRPK
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) January 18, 2021
Lauri Markkanen is Rising, Zach LaVine is Evolving, Garrett Temple is Helping, and Other Bulls Bulletshttps://t.co/aAoL03SB4Z
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) January 18, 2021
