Chicago Bulls vs LA Lakers Prediction & Match Preview - November 15th, 2021 | NBA Season 2021-22
![The Chicago Bulls are hoping for back-to-back wins against both LA teams [Photo: Reuters]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2021/11/a650b-16369755688386-1920.jpg?w=500)
The Chicago Bulls will remain in California for the second game of a back-to-back against the LA Lakers at Staples Center.
After ending the LA Clippers’ seven-game winning run, the Chicago Bulls are hoping to build their own winning streak by beating both LA teams. The game against the LA Lakers will be Alex Caruso’s first game against his former team. He will be greatly motivated to prove that the Lakers were wrong in letting him go to Chicago.
Alex Caruso is starting at POWER FORWARD tonight for Chicago.
This will be his first start as a Bull. https://t.co/YcCb5gz2pF
The match against the Chicago Bulls will be the last home game for the LA Lakers before embarking on a five-game trip to the East. They will be without LeBron James, who continues to be sidelined by an abdominal strain. The Lakers will face a tough Chicago team that is fifth in the NBA in defensive rating.
Match Details
Fixture: Chicago Bulls vs LA Lakers | 2021-22 NBA season
Date & Time: Monday, November 15th; 10:30 PM ET (Tuesday, November 16th; 9:00 AM IST)
Venue: Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
Chicago Bulls Preview
In the 2021-22 NBA season, the Chicago Bulls have relied on their defense in an attempt to end their long playoff drought. The additions of Alex Caruso and Lonzo Ball have transformed the identity of the Bulls. Chicago’s super small ball has been tough to score against, mainly because of the new acquisitions’ lockdown abilities on defense.
Caruso is playing his best basketball right now. The LA Lakers should be asking themselves why they did not think that the five-year veteran was worth the money he was looking for. Since leaving Hollywood for Windy City, Caruso has been one of the best in the NBA when it comes to steals and deflections.
Clippers lose for the first time this month and see their 7-game winning streak snapped. Bulls are legit. Chicago defense clamped down at the end but Clippers kept fighting. Clips face Spurs next on Tuesday at home. Hopefully Terance Mann is OK after limping a bit near end.
In the Chicago Bulls game against the Clippers, AC was primarily tasked with defending superstar Paul George, who is playing at an MVP level this season. He was mainly responsible for holding George to 7-25 shooting, including 2-10 from deep.
Caruso led the team in rebounds and minutes played. He was also a team-high +16 for the night. The Bulls outscored the LA Clippers by 16 during AC’s 39 minutes of playing time.
Key Player - DeMar DeRozan
DeMar DeRozan’s signing was ridiculed by some because he was considered a wash-up and a liability on defense. This season, he has blown away all those expectations with a play that borders on an MVP level.
Billy Donovan is already allowing him to finish games for the Chicago Bulls. It’s a pretty remarkable development since Zach LaVine’s been the designated shooter in close game situations.
DeRozan has also been solid on defense. The Chicago Bulls regularly employ an extra small-ball lineup with DDR at the four spot. So far, he has been able to hold his own against bigger and heftier players in the post. He’s also been competing when switched to faster players on the perimeter. DeRozan’s signing is simply worth every penny to the Bulls.
Chicago Bulls Predicted Lineup
G - Lonzo Ball | G - Zach LaVine | F- Alex Caruso | F - DeMar DeRozan | C - Tony Bradley
LA Lakers Preview
The LA Lakers’ Jekyll and Hyde performances continue this season. After getting thrashed on their home floor by the energetic and aggressive Minnesota Timberwolves, the Lakers turned in a solid play to beat the San Antonio Spurs.
Without LeBron James, they would need to be much better against a well-organized and well-coached Chicago Bulls team.
For the LA Lakers to have a chance of winning, they need to stop coughing up the ball. Heading into the game against the Chicago Bulls, the Lakers are averaging 17.2 TOs per contest, which is 29th in the NBA.
Russell Westbrook, who had a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds, should curtail his erratic play for the LA Lakers to be consistent. He is averaging a team-high 5.4 TOs per game.
THT first game of the season:
17 PTS
4 REB
7-14 FG
The Lakers outscored the Spurs by 14 points when he was on the floor today, the highest +/- on the team. https://t.co/c009WHQw6K
The return of Talen Horton-Tucker will greatly help the LA Lakers moving forward. He brings dynamism to the team with his playmaking and ability to score. His presence in the lineup will ease the team’s spacing and Anthony Davis’ scoring burden.
Key Player - Anthony Davis
Anthony Davis has been fairly consistent this season. The San Antonio Spurs had no match for AD the whole game. He lit up the Spurs for 34 points, shooting 14-24 from the field. He also added 15 rebounds and had 6 assists. The LA Lakers will need him to play this way to beat the Chicago Bulls.
Anthony Davis today:
34 Points
15 Rebounds
6 Assists
2 Steals
1 Block
58% FG
😤 https://t.co/lpILGROBqr
The Chicago Bulls will be without Nikola Vucevic, who is under the health and safety protocols of the NBA. They can only hope that Tony Bradley can help prevent an AD explosion.
It’s no secret that the Bulls play small ball with an undersized lineup. If Davis can get to his spots on the floor without too much difficulty, he’ll be in line for a big scoring night.
LeBron James will miss this game, so the Chicago Bulls’ defense will be geared towards stopping the University of Kentucky alum.
Los Angeles Lakers Predicted Lineup
G - Russell Westbrook | G - Avery Bradley | F - Talen Horton-Tucker | F - Carmelo Anthony | C - Anthony Davis
Bulls vs Lakers Match Prediction
The LA Lakers have been quite unpredictable this season. Sometimes they play like legit title contenders. However, on other days, they are just horrible. THT getting back into form will make the Lakers more difficult to defend.
Meanwhile, the Chicago Bulls have been reliably good. They have excellent defense, avoid turnovers and just play solid basketball from start to finish. The Bulls are clearly a different team without Nikola Vucevic in the lineup. His range and playmaking are such underrated aspects of the Bulls' offense.
If the version of the LA Lakers that beat the Miami Heat plays on Monday, they should get past the Chicago Bulls. However, if the Lakers play as they did against the Minnesota Timberwolves, they’re surely not winning this one.
Where to watch Bulls vs Lakers
The NBA League Pass will stream the game between the Chicago Bulls and the LA Lakers live. NBA TV will cover the game nationally, while local viewing is made possible via Spectrum SportsNet and NBC Sports Chicago.