NEWSLETTER
Pour your brooms a beer and find them a spot on the couch. We’re on #SWEEPWATCH, people!
Game Info
Chicago Bulls (39-23) at Atlanta Hawks (29-32) – 6:00 p.m. CT on NBC Sports Chicago (TV), and 670 The Score (Radio)
Projected Starters
Chicago Bulls
1. Ayo Dosunmu
2. Zach LaVine
3. DeMar DeRozan
4. Javonte Green
5. Nikola Vučević
Injury Report: Lonzo Ball OUT (knee), Alex Caruso OUT (wrist), Patrick Williams OUT (wrist)
Atlanta Hawks
1. Trae Young
2. Kevin Huerter
3. De’Andre Hunter
4. Danilo Gallinari
5. Clint Capela
Injury Report: Lou Williams PROBABLE (hip), Trae Young AVAILABLE (ankle), John Collins OUT (foot), Oneyka Okongwu OUT (concussion)
An @emoryhealthcare injury report for tonight’s game vs. Chicago:
Lou Williams (left hip discomfort): Available
Trae Young (left ankle sprain): AvailableJohn Collins (right foot strain): Out
Onyeka Okongwu (NBA concussion protocol): Out pic.twitter.com/VgyCB5MNDV— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) March 3, 2022
Trae Young Is a Gametime Decision for Tonight’s Matchup in Atlantahttps://t.co/2p6p2cBkaP pic.twitter.com/QzyCxfRhSJ
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) March 3, 2022
What to Watch For …
• When these two teams met exactly one week ago, Trae Young had his second-lowest scoring night of the season. The All-Star starter dropped just 14 points on a 3-17 shooting effort, failing to make a single shot from downtown and turning the ball over four times. The defense of Ayo Dosunmu, once again, proved to be a tough task for Young all night. The Bulls rookie may have struggled to stay out of foul trouble, but his aggressive ball pressure, length, and lateral speed were enough to keep the Hawks’ craft guard out of rhythm. The Bulls can only hope for the same kind of performance tonight (if Young suits up).
• Whether it be Duncan Robinson or Bogdan Bogdanovic, this depleted Bulls team has had real trouble sticking with big, sharpshooting wings. Bogdanovic dropped 27 points on the Bulls last week behind a 5-12 performance from downtown. He made his fair share of tough shots, but the Bulls also let him find his spots too easily. Playing a more physical game with the well-rounded scorer feels like it should be in the game plan tonight.
• While Clint Capela – the NBA’s 4th-leading rebounder – will command the glass, the Hawks will be without their second and third-leading rebounders in Collins and Okongwu. Good news for the Bulls?
• MOVE. THE. BALL. The Bulls may have won the last matchup, but they tied their 3rd-fewest assists of the season with just 16 thanks to a lot of ISO ball from Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. Then, one game later, we saw them record their 4th-fewest assists against the Memphis Grizzlies. This team has mostly done a decent job keeping the offense in motion with Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso on the sideline, but are those absences finally starting to catch up to them? This should be a good chance to re-channel the free-flowing offense we know Billy Donovan prefers, as the Hawks normally allow opponents to dish the 5th-most assists per game (26th-ranked defense).
• More in here …
DeMar DeRozan’s Boxing, Alex Caruso Shooting, Joakim Noah’s Pep Talk, and Other Bulls Bulletshttps://t.co/i2Pfb5VRVD pic.twitter.com/IPngorh8uz
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) March 3, 2022
