Chicago Bulls vs Atlanta Hawks Prediction & Match Preview - December 27th, 2021 | NBA Season 2021-22
The Chicago Bulls will end their home stand and go on the road to face the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena on December 27th.
The Chicago Bulls will head into this game on the back of a 113-105 win against the Indiana Pacers, which has seen them improve to 20-10 on the season.
The Atlanta Hawks, on the other hand, are coming off a 87-101 loss to the New York Knicks on Christmas Day. With a shorthanded roster, the Hawks' struggles will continue as they head into their next game at home.
Match Details
Fixture - Chicago Bulls vs Atlanta Hawks | 2021-22 NBA Season.
Date & Time - Monday, December 27th, 2021; 7:30 PM ET (Tuesday, December 28th, 2021; 6:00 AM IST.)
Venue - State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA.
Chicago Bulls Preview
Coming off their win against the Indiana Pacers, the Chicago Bulls saw the return of some key players to their rotation as they extended their winning streak to three games.
With Zach LaVine and Ayo Dosunmu back from health and safety protocols, the Chicago Bulls are slowly looking to return to full strength. With LaVine leading the way on the scoring front with 32 points for the game, the Bulls managed to walk away with a win as they held off Indiana's surge to cut the lead in the second half.
Zach LaVine first game back:
32 PTS
5 AST
12-18 FG
5-9 3P
It’s his 65th 30-point game with the Bulls, only 472 away from Michael Jordan’s record. https://t.co/tD9Xd5p7bn
Although the side looks to return to a healthy roster, setbacks will continue to see this process delayed. With Lonzo Ball joining the ranks of the Chicago Bulls players in health and safety protocols, the franchise have lost one of their primary cogs on the offensive end and a defensive anchor.
Key Player - Nikola Vucevic
A key player for the Chicago Bulls in this matchup against the Atlanta Hawks will be Nikola Vucevic.
Vucevic is one of the most versatile centers in the league. With a vast offensive skillset that ranges from the low post to shooting from beyond the arc, Vucevic is a very reliable player and an important cog in the Chicago Bulls' system.
Vooch with the FOOTWORK.
@NBCSChicago | @NikolaVucevic https://t.co/WjCnqa6Yd7
Coming off a performance of 16 points and 15 rebounds, Vucevic also put up two steals and blocks each in the game against the Indiana Pacers. An important aspect to keep in mind is that Vucevic did this against Indiana's frontcourt duo of Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis, both of whom are great big men.
Heading into this game against a decimated Atlanta Hawks' roster, Nikola Vucevic will have every opportunity to dominate at the rim given Atlanta's lack of inside presence.
Although Clint Capela may pose a problem on the rebounding glass, Vucevic will have to be a driving force for the Chicago Bulls in order to secure the win,.
Chicago Bulls Predicted Lineup
G - Coby White | G - Zach LaVine | F - DeMar DeRozan | F - Javonte Green | C - Nikola Vucevic
Atlanta Hawks Preview
The Atlanta Hawks have been heavily affected by the COVID outbreak in the NBA. With a majority of their lineup rendered unavailable, the Hawks have been forced to sign a number of players under the hardship exception.
Some key players who will continue to be out of the rotation include Trae Young, Kevin Huerter, Danilo Gallinari and Lou Williams. However, the most recent addition to that list is in the form of John Collins.
Atlanta Hawks F John Collins has entered the league’s Covid protocols, sources tell ESPN. He’s the ninth Hawks player to do so.
In the absence of Collins, the shorthanded Atlanta Hawks will see their lineup in shambles. Although the availability of Clint Capela and Cam Reddish does foster some hope, the overall look of the roster isn't promising as they head home to host one of the best teams in the East.
Key Player - Cam Reddish
The Atlanta Hawks will look to Cam Reddish to be their key player in this game against the Chicago Bulls.
In the last few games, Reddish has really shown some impressive talent. Although his last outing against the New York Knicks was less than satisfactory, the 22-year old has ascended as a real driving force in the Hawks' rotation and makes a strong claim to be a starter for the team.
Cam Reddish weaves through traffic for the slam 🔨 https://t.co/0fBXDPGZ9c
In the absence of some core players, Cam Reddish really stepped up for the Atlanta Hawks on both ends of the floor. Playing through ankle injury for the most part, he has been a fairly reliable scorer from different points on the floor.
Heading into this game against the Chicago Bulls, Reddish will have to carry out a majority of Atlanta's offensive duties. With Collins also out of the rotation, Cam Reddish will become the primary scoring option for this team as he is paired with Clint Capela in the front court.
Atlanta Hawks Predicted Lineup
G - Delon Wright | G - Skylar Mays | F - Bogdan Bogdanovic | F - Cam Reddish | C - Clint Capela
Bulls vs Hawks Match Predictions
The Chicago Bulls should emerge as the winners in this matchup against the Atlanta Hawks.
With the momentum carrying the Bulls along with the return of Zach LaVine, the Chicago Bulls' offense has most of the pieces necessary to overwhelm an injury-rocked Atlanta Hawks' roster.
However, while considering the Hawks home court advantage along with the fact that the Bulls will face them on the road on the second night of a back-to-back, Atlanta may have an opportunity to make the game interesting.
Where to watch Bulls vs Hawks game?
The Chicago Bulls vs Atlanta Hawks game will be nationally broadcast on NBA TV. The game will be locally broadcast on Bally Sports Southwest. The game will also be available on the NBA’s League Pass platform. Fans can also listen to the game by tuning into WZGC and 92.9 The Game.