Chicago Bulls vs Golden State Warriors: Injury Updates, Predicted Lineups and Starting 5's - March 29th, 2021 | NBA Season 2020-21
The Chicago Bulls and the Golden State Warriors square off tonight at the Chase Center as both teams aim to snap their respective losing streaks.
The Chicago Bulls head into this matchup on the back of three straight losses. In their last game, the San Antonio Spurs defeated them by a margin of 104-124, despite new signing Nikola Vucevic making his debut for the Bulls.
Not only did Billy Donovan's side struggle defensively, as usual, but they were also poor with their shooting on the night.
The Chicago Bulls were down by 26 points at the start of the second half, which was too big a deficit for them to recover from late in the game.
However, debutant Vucevic hit the ground running with 21 points and nine rebounds on the night, which could help the Bulls perform better in the coming weeks.
The Golden State Warriors, on the other hand, seem to be struggling without star player Steph Curry as they have registered just one win out of five outings in his absence.
In their last game, the Warriors were decimated by the Atlanta Hawks 108-124. Steve Kerr's side were outclassed in the paint as the Hawks outrebounded them 33-45 and outscored them by 38-60 in that department.
The Golden State Warriors got off to a poor start which saw them trail by 18 points at the half. They made good progress in the last two quarters of the game, but it wasn't enough for them to clinch a much-needed win.
However, the Warriors could look to gain an advantage of the Bulls' defensive woes in the next game, which presents them with the perfect opportunity to overturn their dismal form.
Chicago Bulls vs Golden State Warriors Injury Updates
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls have listed Zach LaVine as probable for this game due to a right ankle sprain, while Lauri Markkanen and new addition Daniel Theis (personal) are both listed as day-to-day.
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors will be breathing a sigh of relief as Steph Curry could be in line to make his return. He recently took part in full practice and is listed as questionable for the game.
Curry suffered a tailbone contusion in the win against the Houston Rockets on March 17.
Chicago Bulls vs Golden State Warriors - Predicted Lineups
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls will likely retain their starting five from the last game, provided Zach LaVine is cleared to play.
In that case, Tomas Satoransky will start the proceedings alongside LaVine or Coby White, depending on the former's availability. The frontcourt will likely see forwards Patrick Williams and Lauri Markkanen pair up with center Nikola Vucevic.
The reserves will feature a long list of players, out of which Garrett Temple, Thaddeus Young and Troy Brown are likely to play the highest number of rotation minutes.
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors will likely field their starting five depending on Steph Curry's availability. But if he isn't able to make it to the lineup, they are likely to play with the same starting five from the last game.
Kelly Oubre Jr. and Jordan Poole started as the two guards, while Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green played as the two forwards with James Wiseman as the center in that game.
From the reserves, Nico Mannion, Mychal Mulder and Damion Lee will provide backup for the guards, while Kevon Looney, Eric Paschall and Kent Bazemore will provide cover for the frontcourt starters.
Chicago Bulls vs. Golden State Warriors - Predicted Starting 5's
Chicago Bulls
Point Guard - Tomas Satoransky l Shooting Guard - Zach LaVine l Small Forward - Patrick Williams l Power Forward - Lauri Markkanen l Center - Nikola Vucevic.
Golden State Warriors
Point Guard - Jordan Poole l Shooting Guard - Kelly Oubre Jr. l Small Forward - Andrew Wiggins l Power Forward - Draymond Green l Center - James Wiseman.