Chicago Bulls vs. Los Angeles Lakers: Game Preview, Prediction
By Joseph Crevier
@JosephMCrevier
Gary Dineen-Getty Images
The Los Angeles Lakers will be traveling on Christmas Day. Yes, the Lakers are on the road, not the Chicago Bulls. This is an uncommon trend for Los Angeles, as they have hosted every Christmas Day matchup since 2006 vs. the reigning champion Miami Heat, so the fact that the Lakers are on the road is just a symbol of the franchise’s hardships these past few years.
As for Chicago, after undergoing a fairly disappointing start to the 2014-15 campaign that has been plagued by injury, the team appears to finally be fully healthy, including superstar Derrick Rose. The point guard has noticeably returned to his old form, scoring 25+ points in two consecutive games en route to two victories over the Eastern Conference elite Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards. Though, Rose is certainly not as a prolific dunker that he used to be, his leadership and impact has paid dividends for an offensively challenged Bulls team. Lakers point guards, Ronnie Price and Jeremy Lin, will have to buckle down defensively if they plan on having any chance to contain the surging Rose.
Chicago has the clear advantage at point guard, and sadly to say shooting guard as well. Jimmy Butler has officially surpassed Kobe Bryant in the rankings, as he has single-handedly carried the Bulls in the constant absences of his teammates. The former 30th overall pick is averaging an ungodly 40 minutes per game, scoring in double-digits in every contest but one. The Bulls will undoubtedly regret not reaching a contract extension prior to the deadline, as Butler is likely to yield a maximum salary contract barring an injury.
As for the Black Mamba, the advanced age and significant amount of minutes that he’s compiled has seemingly caught up with him. Bryant is averaging 24.6 points per game, but he has a subpar 37.2% percent shooting. All of the advanced statistics label Bryant a major liability, and that may just be the case. On the bright side, he is contributing heavily to the Lakers retaining that coveted top five protected pick from the Phoenix Suns.
The matchup to watch in this game, though, will be the battle of the frontcourts, primarily how Pau Gasol will perform facing his former team. It will certainly be an emotional matchup for both sides, considering the massive role Gasol played in Los Angeles’ last two championships. Emotions aside, the Bulls frontcourt is absolutely loaded boasting a deadly tandem of Joakim Noah and Gasol to start, then the talented reinforcements of Taj Gibson and Nikola Mirotic. Rebounding is vital if the Lakers plan on competing in this game, making Jordan Hill’s role that much more important. Hill has endured a major slump lately, failing to notch a double-double in five games, in turn forcing him to watch in crunch time while Ed Davis and Carlos Boozer are out there on the court.
Despite the discrepancies in records, expect a fairly close score throughout the game. If Chicago struggles offensively off the bat, Los Angeles has the offensive firepower to pull away at the start. The key for a Lakers upset is how well they move the ball. We all witnessed what the team is capable when everybody gets involved, exhibited by Los Angeles rout of the Golden State Warriors. So, the implementing of that team-first mindset on Bryant is something to watch for in this holiday contest.
Chicago Bulls (19-9) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (9-19)
8:00 PM EST, December 25, 2014
United Center, Chicago, IL
TV: TNT
Radio: 710 AM (English) / 1330 AM (Spanish)
Bulls’ Projected Starting Lineup
PG: Derrick Rose
SG: Jimmy Butler
SF: Mike Dunleavy Jr.
PF: Pau Gasol
C: Joakim Noah
Key Reserves: PG: Aaron Brooks, PF: Nikola Mirotic, PF: Taj Gibson
Lakers’ Projected Starting Lineup
PG: Ronnie Price
SG: Kobe Bryant
SF: Wesley Johnson
PF: Ed Davis
C: Jordan Hill
Key Reserves: PG: Jeremy Lin, SF: Nick Young, PF: Carlos Boozer
Prediction: Bulls 98, Lakers 95
Joseph Crevier covers the New York Knicks for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter, @JosephMCrevier, and Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
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