NEWSLETTER
NIKOLA VUCEVIC REVENGE GAME TIME!
Broadcast Info
Orlando Magic and Chicago Bulls – 7:00 p.m. CT, NBC Sports Chicago, 670 The Score (audio)
Chicago Bulls
Projected Starters:
1. Tomas Satoransky
2. Patrick Williams
3. Zach LaVine
4. Thaddeus Young
5. Nikola Vucevic
Injury Report:
Orlando Magic
Projected Starters:
1. Michael Carter-Williams
2. Dwayne Bacon
3. James Ennis
4. Chuma Okeke
5. Wendell Carter Jr.
Injury Report: Otto Porter OUT (foot), Jonathan Isaac OUT (ACL), Markelle Fultz OUT (ACL), Chuma Okeke QUESTIONABLE (hip), Mo Bamba QUESTIONABLE (hip)
What to Watch For …
• I mean, I don’t want to be too dramatic or anything, but losing to the rebuilding Orlando Magic who traded you their All-Star could be a new low. Oh, and allowing Wendell Carter Jr. to be the main reason for that loss would be the lowest of low. After a disappointing three-game losing streak, this is simply a game the Bulls have to win. The Magic are trying to tank it out while the Bulls are trying to make the most of their new additions with a fight for their first postseason berth since 2017. I want to see this team take the court with a sense of urgency tonight, especially considering the (very fresh) history built between these two organizations. The Bulls have to remind everyone tonight exactly why they made this trade.
• The Magic have lost six-straight games with five of those losses coming by double-digits. Since the deadline, they have the league’s worst field goal percentage and have averaged the second-fewest points per game. The team has been at least somewhat better on the defensive end but they’ve still had the 6th-worst defensive rating in the league. In other words, there is no reason the Bulls shouldn’t be able to put this game away early with their offense, even if their 3-point percentage has somehow been 4th-worst in the league over the last 10 games.
• Speaking of which, maybe this can be a “get right” game from behind the arc. The Magic have allowed the second-highest opponent 3-point percentage over their last 10 games.
• Garrett Temple is set to return tonight, which is good news for the Bulls defense and bad news for Billy Donovan (just kidding, but it does put him in a sticky situation). The head coach now has to rethink his rotational minutes, and chances are either Coby White or Troy Brown Jr. is about to see a dip in their minutes.
Billy Donovan said Garrett Temple is available and will be on a restriction of 15-20 minutes.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) April 14, 2021
• I REALLY hope Vooch dominates Wendell.
• Let’s see if this is any better tonight …
Billy Donovan says the answer to #Bulls' problems defending pick-and-roll is guards getting ball under control earlier and bigs finding the right depth — not too high, not too deep.
Given Bulls' defensive limitations, Donovan indicates blitzing/hard hedging isn't the answer.
— Cody Westerlund (@CodyWesterlund) April 14, 2021
Get Caught Up …
LIVE: Billy Donovan pregame vs. Magic https://t.co/Xzm4eqeBLT
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) April 14, 2021
Scoreboard Watching: The Battle for a Play-In Tournament Spot is Still Alive and Wellhttps://t.co/wgqWnPqAZM
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) April 14, 2021
Steve Clifford said the Magic have been able to change pick-and-roll coverages during games in part because of Wendell Carter Jr.’s ability and flexibility.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) April 14, 2021
