NEWSLETTER
WIN BY 40 AGAIN!!!!
Game Info
New Orleans Pelicans at Chicago Bulls at 7:00 p.m. CT on NBC Sports Chicago (TV) and 670 The Score (Radio)
Stream the game online here!
Projected Starters
Chicago Bulls
1. Lonzo Ball
2. Javonte Green
3. Zach LaVine
4. DeMar DeRozan
5. Nikola Vucevic
Inactive: Patrick Williams (ankle), Coby White (shoulder), Tony Bradley (back)
New Orleans Pelicans
1. Devonte’ Graham
2. Nickeil Alexander-Walker
3. Garrett Temple
4. Naji Marshall
5. Jonas Valanciunas
Inactive: Zion Williamson (foot), Brandon Ingram (knee)
What to Watch For …
• After missing the first game due to minor injuries, both Derrick Jones Jr. and Marko Simonovic will be expected to make their Bulls debut tonight. While it will be important to see how comfortable both look considering this team’s lack of frontcourt depth, most of our attention should be on Jones. The high-flyer could be in a position to play a key defensive role off the bench this season. Not to mention, Donovan said he has been testing out Jones with the starters in training camp due to Williams’ absence. The elite athlete had a down year during his one season with the Trail Blazers, but that came with most of the minutes being eaten up at the wing. With his seven-foot wingspan and lob threat capabilities, we could see him look far more comfortable at the four in this new fast-paced offense.
• Javonte Green surprised everyone on Tuesday with his endless hustle and defensive play. His minutes might go down a bit tonight as Donovan tests out some other player, but if he looks as productive as he did in Game 1, the conversation to get him rotation minutes this season will only increase.
So How About Those Javonte Green Minutes?https://t.co/tOGf9Ccpmv
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) October 8, 2021
• Instead of sitting things out, Donovan said he plans to increase each starter’s minutes in this second preseason game. The four-man combination of Ball-LaVine-DeRozan-Vucevic looked absolutely electric on Tuesday, but was any of that thanks to an adrenaline rush? We’ll see if this unit can play with the same energy against this depleted Pelicans squad especially on defense).
