NEWSLETTER
Time to play the Hornets! Uh, wait, I mean, Pistons!
Broadcast Info
Detroit Pistons 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. Patrick Williams
5. Daniel Gafford
Injury Report: Lauri Markkanen OUT (shoulder), Otto Porter OUT (back), Hutchison OUT (personal reasons)
Detroit Pistons
Projected Starters:
1. Delon Wright
2. Wayne Ellington
3. Saddiq Bey
4. Jerami Grant
5. Mason Plumlee
Injury Report: Sekou Doumbouya OUT (concussion), Blake Griffin OUT (team decision), Jahlil Okafor OUT (knee), Killian Hayes OUT (hip)
Odds
The Bulls are -3 point favorites for tonight’s matchup against the Pistons, according to the DraftKings Illinois Sportsbook (-112), the FanDuel Illinois Sportsbook (-109), and the PointsBet Illinois Sportsbook (-105).
You can sign up for each of those books below, and get yourself a nice deposit bonus in the process.
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Hmm … a double-double for Wendell maybe?
3 Player Props for Bulls vs. Pistons (February 17, 2021) https://t.co/qtDCH3OEJk
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) February 17, 2021
What to Watch For
• Wendell Carter Jr. returned to the floor after an 11-game absence on Monday with one hell of a performance. The Bulls watched his minutes carefully, only allowing him 21 minutes of action, but the third-year big man finished with 11 points and 9 rebounds. He was pivotal in the team’s ability to slow down the Pacers electric frontcourt duo of Domnatas Sabonis and Myles Turner, and the team can only hope he continues to trend in the right direction tonight. I would expect to see him used even more on the offensive end in this particular matchup, as the Pistons have given up the 7th-most points in the paint this season
• Patrick Williams will have his hands full yet again. The Pistons Jerami Grant is having a Most Improved Player-caliber season, going from 12.0 points per game in 2019-20 to 23.0 in 2020-21. Practically all of the Pistons offense runs through Grant when he’s on the court (his 24.6% USG is in 88th percentile), so I hope the rookie is ready to work.
• Tomas Satoransky has scored in double-figures in two consecutive games for the first time this season … can he make it three?
• How will the Bulls look from the jump? This team has struggled to build on their quality performances over the past month. The Pistons are the Eastern Conference’s last-place team, so the Bulls should be hungry to string together back-to-back wins before playing the conference first-place team (76ers) on national television this Friday.
• Will the fact that this game was literally created by the league one day ago make things any more difficult? Stay tuned!
Garrett Temple says the NBA juggling schedule to have #Bulls play Pistons tonight instead of Hornets isn't difficult on the players, who usually get a scouting report just one day in advance. The heavier lift is on staff.
"The coaches had to do a lot of overtime," Temple says.
— Cody Westerlund (@CodyWesterlund) February 17, 2021
Get Caught Up …
Otto Porter Jr. and Lauri Markkanen both still not doing anything on court, per Billy Donovan.
Porter doing some strength/conditioning work. No return timeline.
Markkanen still experiencing discomfort in shoulder. 2-4 week timeline was announced 9 days ago
— Rob Schaefer (@rob_schaef) February 17, 2021
LIVE: Head Coach Billy Donovan media availability prior to tonight’s game against the Pistons https://t.co/hawlSXFnhw
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) February 17, 2021
Rumor Roundup: Where Do the Bulls Stand? Thad Young Talk, Philly Needs a PG, Big Men on the Move, Morehttps://t.co/dno5ptbCY0
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) February 17, 2021
