The Kings roll into Chicago after a 24 point loss to the Brooklyn Nets that came not because the Kings played their customarily bad defense, more on that in a bit, but because they were simply allergic to making baskets. As a reward, they now have to face one of the best teams in the eastern conference (and the team we all kind of have come to assume the Kings front office is trying to emulate), the Chicago Bulls.
The Bulls come into tonight's game on the back of Demar DeRozan, who is playing the best stretch of basketball by an individual in Chicago Bull history, which is absolutely insane because, well, we've all seen The Last Dance.
In addition to Demar's absolutely ridiculous play of late, Nikola Vucevic is averaging 24.4 points, 13.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.4 blocks per game in the month of February and playing like the guy the Bulls gave up multiple first round picks and prospects for at last year's deadline. In other words, Domantas is going to have to play better than he did in Brooklyn for us to win this game (I know- amazing analysis on my part).
If there is a silver lining to this game aside from the All-Star Break coming immediately following the final buzzer and the Kings getting a week to try to figure out how to incorporate a half-roster full of new players, it's that the Bulls are pretty much missing all their guards due to injury. All-Star and former Vlade crush Zach LaVine is out with jumper's knee, Lonzo is also out indefinitely following knee surgery (which may actually be a bad thing for the Kings given De'Aaron Fox's tendency to absolutely destroy him every single time they play), and Alex Caruso had his wrist broken by Grayson Allen and is out for a while after surgery. In their place, the Bulls will be starting Coby White and hometown hero breakout rookie Ayo Dosunmu. Coby White spent a lot of the season lost in the shuffle and on the bench behind the better two-way players on the roster but has come on fairly well in place of them of late. He's also by most metrics, the worst defender in the Bulls rotation, which doesn't bode well for him since he['s going up against newly rejuvenated De'Aaron Fox.
The Bulls are a very good team, even diminished by their wave of injuries, and Billy Donovan is a better coach than Alvin Gentry. At the same time, the Kings are hopefully not going to shoot as poorly as they did on Monday and are deep where the Bulls aren't. I've resigned myself to DeRozan having another 35+ point explosion but hopefully, the Kings' collection of strong perimeter defenders (still have to do a double take whenever I type this) can at least slow him down when the game matters. I'm also hoping for a strong bounce-back game from Domantas Sabonis and Harrison Barnes, both of whom looked completely flustered throughout the entire Brooklyn game.
Let's go into the break with a win and momentum coming down the home stretch.
Final Prediction
The Kings are better than they showed against the Nets. A shocking victory over the Bulls on the backs of the new Big Two will prove me right. Kings 121, Bulls 115
The Bulls come into tonight's game on the back of Demar DeRozan, who is playing the best stretch of basketball by an individual in Chicago Bull history, which is absolutely insane because, well, we've all seen The Last Dance.
In addition to Demar's absolutely ridiculous play of late, Nikola Vucevic is averaging 24.4 points, 13.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.4 blocks per game in the month of February and playing like the guy the Bulls gave up multiple first round picks and prospects for at last year's deadline. In other words, Domantas is going to have to play better than he did in Brooklyn for us to win this game (I know- amazing analysis on my part).
If there is a silver lining to this game aside from the All-Star Break coming immediately following the final buzzer and the Kings getting a week to try to figure out how to incorporate a half-roster full of new players, it's that the Bulls are pretty much missing all their guards due to injury. All-Star and former Vlade crush Zach LaVine is out with jumper's knee, Lonzo is also out indefinitely following knee surgery (which may actually be a bad thing for the Kings given De'Aaron Fox's tendency to absolutely destroy him every single time they play), and Alex Caruso had his wrist broken by Grayson Allen and is out for a while after surgery. In their place, the Bulls will be starting Coby White and hometown hero breakout rookie Ayo Dosunmu. Coby White spent a lot of the season lost in the shuffle and on the bench behind the better two-way players on the roster but has come on fairly well in place of them of late. He's also by most metrics, the worst defender in the Bulls rotation, which doesn't bode well for him since he['s going up against newly rejuvenated De'Aaron Fox.
The Bulls are a very good team, even diminished by their wave of injuries, and Billy Donovan is a better coach than Alvin Gentry. At the same time, the Kings are hopefully not going to shoot as poorly as they did on Monday and are deep where the Bulls aren't. I've resigned myself to DeRozan having another 35+ point explosion but hopefully, the Kings' collection of strong perimeter defenders (still have to do a double take whenever I type this) can at least slow him down when the game matters. I'm also hoping for a strong bounce-back game from Domantas Sabonis and Harrison Barnes, both of whom looked completely flustered throughout the entire Brooklyn game.
Let's go into the break with a win and momentum coming down the home stretch.
Final Prediction
The Kings are better than they showed against the Nets. A shocking victory over the Bulls on the backs of the new Big Two will prove me right. Kings 121, Bulls 115
