Chicago Bulls vs. Los Angeles Lakers: Preview, injury report, and open thread
the king is coming
By Paul Steeno Nov 5, 2019, 5:06pm CST
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Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images
Chicago Bulls (2-5) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (5-1)
7 p.m., NBC Sports Chicago and NBA TV
Both Avery Bradley and Rajon Rondo are out for the Lakers, so one-time Bulls target Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will be starting.
For the Bulls, Otto Porter didn't practice after spraining his ankle in Indiana, though Boylen said he was 'probable' and there was no shootaround today so unclear as to his status. Chandler Hutchison was active but received a DNP in that last game, but Boylen said he wanted the 2nd-year player to get a practice under his belt first so theoretically Hutch can make his season debut tonight.
Lots of good stuff to talk about.
First, Boylen.
Seriously, where the heck are these comments coming from?
Sure, maybe effort is part of the reason the Bulls are off to a brutally disappointing 2-5 start to the season. But why are you calling out your players to the media and then not holding yourself publicly accountable for your own shortcomings as a head coach?
It's maddingly hypocritical and it has to be a premeditated stunt to piss the players off enough so they'll play better, right?
Okay, enough of that...off to another awful topic. Chicago native and Lakers star Anthony Davis is back in his hometown. So, naturally he fielded some questions about whether Chicago is the best basketball city. Which he affirmed. The Brow can become a free agent after this season so would he entertain the possibility of returning to Chitown? Per ESPN.com reporter Eric Woodyard on Twitter.
"Honestly, it's nothing like playing at home. I don't know ... I mean, I am a free agent next year, but we'll see. It's a possibility."
After all the big-time free agent courtships that ended with nothing, Chicago Bulls fans don't deserve to be teased like this.
Okay, so we're 200+ words in to the preview section of this article without a mention of LeBron James. After missing the playoffs for just the third time in his career and for the first time since 2005, the 17-year NBA veteran is back with a vengeance averaging nearly a triple-double per game for the Western Conference leading Lakers.
The Lakers have built a good team around him, headlined by Davis obviously but with a bunch of solid supplemental parts like Danny Green, Avery Bradley, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as well. At age 33 and through all the personal and career ups-and-downs Dwight Howard is hanging in there in Hollywood. Meanwhile, Alex Caruso is becoming a cult legend for plays like this....
THIS IS AN ALEX CARUSO FAN ACCOUNT NOWpic.twitter.com/FNQug1OxQP
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) November 2, 2019
Random Stat:
King James has won six straight matchups against the Bulls. Somehow in 2016-2017, that three alphas team swept the four-game regular season series against James' Cavaliers marking the last time he lost to the Bulls.
They said it:
LeBron on the 2020 All-Star Game being in Chicago via K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.
"Chicago this year in February, it's going to be warm? I'm looking forward to that, if I'm a part of it. The West is a lot of great players. Hopefully I can get the nod to represent the West and Lakers again. I'd love to come back to The Chi."
Tweet you gotta see:
Kornet blitzing again.
This ain't it. pic.twitter.com/AsqtGYmhtX
— Stephen Noh (@StephNoh) November 3, 2019