Los Angeles Lakers vs Chicago Bulls: Match Preview and Predictions - 5th November 2019
Match Details
Fixture: Los Angeles Lakers vs Chicago Bulls
Date & Time: Tuesday, 5th November 2019 (8:00 PM ET)
Venue: United Center, Chicago, IL
Last game results
Los Angeles Lakers (5-1): 103-96 win over the San Antonio Spurs (3rd November)
Chicago Bulls (2-5): 95-108 defeat to the Indiana Pacers (3rd November)
Los Angeles Lakers Preview
Many questions were asked of the Los Angeles Lakers following their opening night defeat at the hands of Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers, although Frank Vogel's team have bounced back in emphatic fashion.
Sunday's victory over the San Antonio Spurs marked the Lakers' fifth straight win, a sequence which has included impressive wins over contenders such as the Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz. Los Angeles' defense has also been much stronger than expected, and they have only allowed more than 100 points in two of their last five games.
Much of this is owed to LeBron James' excellent work on the defensive end, while Dwight Howard has also surpassed expectations with a series of impressive performances. With Anthony Davis and Danny Green also firing alongside the return of Kyle Kuzma, the Lakers travel to Chicago with plenty to be happy about.
Key Player - Anthony Davis
LeBron James has posted triple-doubles in back-to-back wins for the Lakers, although Anthony Davis has a huge role to play on his return to Chicago. The 26-year-old will be Los Angeles' first offensive option, and a big scoring night could prove too much for the Bulls to overcome.
Lakers predicted starting lineup
LeBron James, Anthony Davis, JaVale McGee, Avery Bradley, Danny Green
Chicago Bulls Preview
The Chicago Bulls showed enough promise during the preseason that some experts believed they would compete for a playoff spot. However, despite a favorable schedule, the Bulls have opened their season with a 2-5 record.
They have been outrebounded in every game since opening night and Sunday's defeat to a Pacers team missing Victor Oladipo, Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner was alarming. With that said, the Bulls still have a young roster filled with plenty of talent, and if Lauri Markkanen can return to form, the Bulls will improve in the coming weeks.
Key Player - Zach LaVine
While much of the Bulls roster has started the season slowly, Zach LaVine has begun the new campaign in blistering form. Through seven games, LaVine is averaging 21.1 points and 4.1 rebounds per game while shooting 39.6 percent from beyond the arc. In his last two games, LaVine has taken 40 shots, so expect the 24-year-old to lead Chicago's charge against the Lakers.
Bulls predicted lineup
Lauri Markkanen, Otto Porter Jr., Wendell Carter Jr., Zach LaVine, Tomas Satoransky
Lakers vs Bulls Match Prediction
The Bulls will be aiming to pull off a shock result in just their third home game of the new season, although the Lakers will be difficult to stop. Ultimately, unless Chicago's trio of LaVine, Marrkanen and Carter Jr. enjoy huge performances, Los Angeles should have enough to come away with a sixth straight win.
Where to watch Lakers vs Bulls?
There will be local coverage of the game on NBC Sports Chicago from 8:00 PM (ET). You can also live stream the game via NBA League Pass.