The battle for playoff spots in the NBA is heating up this season, and the Eastern Conference already looks like a difficult conference to call. The Chicago Bulls may have an outside chance of breaking their long wait for a playoff spot, and we should learn more about the team as they take on the defending champions.
Lakers Building Momentum
The Los Angeles Lakers are the clear front-runners to win the NBA once again this season, as they look for a second consecutive title. There is still a long way to go in the season, but the signs at present indicate that they are on a strong run of form. The Lakers have won their last four games in the NBA, and have lost just twice in their eight outings so far this season. Their home record could be the only area of concern at present, as they have won twice and lost twice at the Staples Center. Away from their home court has been a different story, as they have won all four games they have played on their travels.
Their last four wins have come against the San Antonio Spurs and the Memphis Grizzlies, as they have beat both opponents twice. Their most recent win over the Grizzlies was a 94-92 success, with LeBron James and Anthony Davis both scoring double-doubles. Both starts scored 26 points, with James contributing seven assists and Davis adding four assists. Dennis Schroder also added 12 points in that victory on the road. The Lakers will be looking to be more efficient from beyond the arc in this game, as they scored on just 29% of their efforts from beyond the arc in that last game.
Bulls Looking To Bounce Back
The Bulls currently find themselves in tenth in the Eastern Conference. It hasn’t been the worst of starts for Chicago, as they have won four of their nine games so far. They are on the cusp of the playoff places, and if they are able to put together a run of victories, then they could potentially cause a shock and reach the playoffs this season. However, there will need to be a response from the Bulls, as they were beaten in their last game in the NBA.
They were toppled by the Sacramento Kings 128-124 in a closely contested game. The Bulls eventually ran out of steam in the final period, as they were outscored 35-31 by their opponents. There were still positives for the Bulls in the game, as there were excellent performance from Coby White and Zach LaVine. White scored a remarkable 36 points in the defeat, while LaVine added 32 points. It was Chicago’s efficiency from beyond the arc that was their downfall, as they were successful on just 35% of their efforts, which was just slightly lower than the 37.8% success rate recorded by the Kings.
Bulls @ Lakers Prediction
There is no doubt that the Bulls have improved so far this season, but it remains unlikely that they will finish in a playoff spot this season. The Lakers will be among the teams that will go deep in the playoffs, and the momentum that they have found over recent games is difficult to ignore in this game.
