Lakers (40–25) vs. Bulls (27–38) | Game 66 of 82
WHERE TO WATCH AND WHAT TIME
Date: Thursday, March. 12
Tip-off: 7:30 p.m. PST
Location: Crypto.com Arena — Los Angeles, Calif
TV: Spectrum SportsNet
Radio: ESPN LA 710 / 1330 KWKW
GAME PREVIEW
The Lakers' push in the last seven-game stretch, winning six of those games, has been one of their best of the season. Not just because of the wins, but who they’ve beaten in that span.
Los Angeles is coming off two wins against top-tier opponents, beating the Knicks 110-97 on Sunday in arguably their best win of the season and the Timberwolves 120-106 on Tuesday behind 62 points combined from Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves in a second-half effort.
Dončić still leads the NBA in scoring at 32.5 points a game, while Reaves is starting to find his groove with 75 points combined in the Lakers' last three games.
Now they look ahead to the (27-38) Bulls on Thursday to push their win streak to four games. This will be the second time the Lakers face Chicago this season, having beating them on the road back in late Jan.
The Lakers' win over the Timberwolves was their 40th win of the season at 40-25 and moved them ahead of Minnesota to No. 4 in the Western Conference.
The win was also their third straight game without LeBron James, who has been out with multiple injuries, as L.A. improved their home record to 21-12.
Before L.A.'s matchup over the Timberwolves, coach JJ Redick said James is day-to-day with his hip contusion and left foot injury.
"You never know how his body is going to respond to a game. How his foot's going repond," Redick said. "It's not to say I expected him to miss a game. It's just it wouldn't surprise me if he needed a day or two to get his body right."
WHAT TO AVOID
The Lakers need to avoid a slow start. They came out of the gates COLD against the Timberwolves from the floor and even colder from 3, missing their first 15 shots from deep.
Luckily for the Lakers, the Timberwolves were just as cold, which led to a low-scoring 45-point affair at the half.
The Lakers need to avoid that slow start against a young Bulls team that pushes the pace and could take advantage of another slow start by the Lakers with six-foot-seven Australian Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis leading the way.
Bulls
The Bulls have bounced back from an 11-game losing streak with three wins in their last five games, sitting No. 12 in the East.
They hold an 11-20 record on the road.
Chicago is coming off a six-point overtime road win over the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday, behind Buzelis who scored a career-high 41 points in Golden State.
Coby White leads the team in scoring at 18.6 points but has only played in 26 games this season.
Chicago has been hammered on the injury slate this season, with eight players on the injury report and multiple starters out coming into L.A.
NOTABLE OPPONENT RANKS AMONG THE NBA
The Bulls have the 25th-rated offense (112.2) and 23rd-rated defense (116.6) in the NBA. Here are their notable rankings this season:
Chicago currently sits:
15th in points per game (115.6)
15th in FG% (46.8%)
5th in assists (28.8)
7th in 3PM (14.6)
10th in 3P% (34.3%)
INJURY REPORT
Lakers:
Jaxson Hayes (back soreness): Probable
LeBron James (right hip contusion and left foot arthritis): Questionable
Maxi Kleber (back strain): Questionable
Marcus Smart (right hip contusion): Doubtful
Bulls:
Guerschon Yabusele (left foot soreness): Questionable
Matas Buzelis (sprained right ankle): Probable
Patrick Williams (ankle): Questionable
Josh Giddey (right ankle sprain): Probable
Jalen Smith (calf): Probable
Collin Sexton (leg): Questionable
Isaac Okoro (knee): Questionable
Anfernee Simons (wrist): Out
THREADS FOR THE GAME
The Lakers will wear their iconic gold uniforms at home, while the Bulls will rock their red icon edition uniforms.
NEXT MATCHUP
The Lakers remain at home in their next contest against the Nuggets on Saturday, in their third and final game of the regular season against Denver.
