San Antonio Spurs vs Chicago Bulls: Prediction & Match Preview - March 17th, 2021 | NBA Season 2020-21
The San Antonio Spurs continue their eastern road trip in the 2020-21 NBA when they take on the Chicago Bulls at the United Center on Wednesday.
The San Antonio Spurs are seventh in the west with a 20-16 record, while the Chicago Bulls are ninth in the Eastern Conference standings courtesy of an 18-20 start to their campaign.
Match Details
Fixture: San Antonio Spurs vs Chicago Bulls | NBA Season 2020-21.
Date & Time: Wednesday, March 17th; 8:00 PM ET (Thursday, March 18th; 5:30 AM IST).
Venue: United Center, Chicago.
San Antonio Spurs Preview
The San Antonio Spurs' offense has flattered to deceive this season, which is evident in them being the 22nd-best in points scored per game this campaign.
The San Antonio Spurs also have been lethargic on the offensive glass, averaging just 8.9 offensive boards per outing. They have been a solid team at the defensive end, though, conceding just 110.4 points per match, the ninth-best by any team in the league this season.
Patty Mills' experience off the bench has been quite valuable for Gregg Popovich, as the veteran guard has put up 13 points per game on a healthy 39.4% shooting from the 3-point range.
Key Player - Dejounte Murray
With both DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge ruled out of this game, Dejounte Murray will need to step up as the leading scorer for the San Antonio Spurs.
The athletic point guard has looked in good touch this campaign, averaging a solid 15.7 points, seven rebounds and 5.3 assists per game. He has been cleaning things up at the defensive end as well, securing 1.6 steals per match.
Murray has made major strides offensively. But he'll face a stern test on Wednesday, as he will look to lead the San Antonio Spurs offense against a strong Chicago Bulls side.
San Antonio Spurs Predicted Lineup
G - Dejounte Murray, G - Lonnie Walker IV, F - Derrick White, F - Keldon Johnson, C - Jakob Poeltl.
Also, Read: NBA Trade Rumors: OKC Thunder open to moving veteran trio before the deadline for draft picks.
Chicago Bulls Preview
The Chicago Bulls have begun their second half of the season on a winning note, securing successive wins in their last two games. Billy Donovan's men have had a stable offense so far, averaging 114.4 points per outing. They have also been a top-ten defensive rebounding team, tallying 35.4 defensive rebounds per game.
However, the Chicago Bulls have been careless with the ball, turning it over a league-worst 15.9 times a match. Backcourt partners Zach LaVine and Coby White have been the primary culprits, averaging 3.8 and 2.2 turnovers per game, respectively.
Key Player - Zach LaVine
Zach LaVine has improved by leaps and bounds this season, something that is especially evident in the defensive side of his game.
LaVine was always a prolific scorer, but this season he has been a reliable playmaker and defender as well. He is averaging 28.4 points, five rebounds and five assists, along with a steal per game.
He has also shot lights out from the 3-point range, making 44.1% of his attempts from the deep. He is the Chicago Bulls' best player by a mile and will be key to their hopes on Wednesday.
Chicago Bulls Predicted Lineup
G - Tomas Satoransky, G - Zach LaVine, F - Patrick Williams, F - Lauri Markannen, C - Thaddeus Young.
Spurs vs Bulls Match Prediction
The San Antonio Spurs will be without LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan for this game, which makes the Chicago Bulls favorites to win. The Bulls have a potent offense, so a big outing from Zach LaVine could see them winning quite comfortably on the night.
Where to watch Spurs vs Bulls?
Local coverage of the San Antonio Spurs vs Chicago Bulls matchup will be on Fox Sports South West - San Antonio and NBCS Chicago. The match can also be live-streamed with an NBA League Pass.
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