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Three Things to Know: Lakers vs. Bulls 1-25-24
The Lakers (22-23) play Chicago (21-24) to wrap up their long home schedule in January before departing for a 12-day, 6-game Grammy trip. The match begins on Spectrum SportsNet at 7:30 p.m.
Three factors to be aware of before the encounter are listed below:
IMPROVED BULLS
The Bulls had a difficult start to the season, finishing 5-14, but they were able to turn things around, winning 16 of their 26 games and earning a berth in the Eastern Conference play-in round, where they presently sit in ninth place, identical to the Lakers. They've accomplished most of that work by improving their offensive output; as of Nov. 28, they were up from 108.9 to 115.3 offensive efficiency. After making only 34.9% of their threes in the first 19, they are now hitting more of them, converting 36.8% in the 16–10 run.
Coby White, who is averaging 22.9 points per game on 48.0% shooting from three-point range in his previous ten games, is responsible for a large portion of that scoring from the outside. While DeMar DeRozan's scoring average dropped from 23.7 in December to 20.5 in January, he increased his efficiency with fewer shots attempted, finishing with a 48.0% conversion rate—a little increase over the previous two months. Zach LaVine will not play tonight due to an ankle injury; thus, each player has been called upon a little more.
But Nikola Vucevic, who was easily the greatest player on the club during that stretch, leads Chicago in plus/minus in January at +5.6. Alex Caruso, a former Laker, is second at +1.9. Andre Drummond, who is a -4.4 for the month, has previously had success hammering the Lakers on the boards.
With the Bulls down after 12 minutes of play, they are just 6-20 when trailing after one quarter, which should tell us a lot about how this game will go.
REMATCH OF BULLS
The Lakers were coming off the at-Season Tournament victory and had lost their previous two games that they might have won—at home against New York and at San Antonio. With a record of 15–12, they were below 500. LeBron James scored a huge dunk and a deep three to lead the Lakers to an early 9-4 lead. After playing mostly healthy for the first time in a while, Gabe Vincent returned to the bench rotation.
Three Pointers Bulls against. Lakers 1-25-24
But after then, it was all Bulls, as they came back to lead 33–22 at the end of the first quarter and never looked back on their way to a 124–108 triumph.
After the game, Vincent had further knee pain and left early for surgery. He played 14 minutes. Only Austin Reaves (21 points) and D'Angelo Russell (two points on one of six free throws) scored more points off the bench than any other Laker this season. In the disheartening defeat, LeBron scored 25 points with nine assists while shooting a -11, and Anthony Davis scored only 19 points on 7 of 15 free throws.
Chicago was shooting hot from three, making 18 of 34 attempts, and four starters—Patrick Williams, Vucevic, White, and Caruso—hit at least three three-pointers. Jevon Carter scored two, while Ayo Dosunmo added four more off the bench. DeRozan was hitting 12 of 14 2-point field goals with his well-developed mid-range game, missing only two of his 14 triples.
L.A. will need to prioritize defense in this one as they try to contain a Bulls attack that didn't feel the Lakers much in Chicago. In the defeat, they only made 42 of 94 field goals (44.7%) and 12 of 37 three-pointers (32.4%).
END OF HOME STAND
Having had a very challenging schedule in December and spending eighteen days away from home, the Lakers were finally able to get settled in Los Angeles in January. From January 1 until today, the squad played nine games at home and one "at" the Clippers. In actuality, they only had one road trip, which was to Utah on January 13.
Three Pointers Bulls against. Lakers 1-25-24
Despite being generally healthy and possessing home court advantage for all but two games, Los Angeles started the month at 17-17 but ended at 5-6. There were some excellent games—beating the Thunder, Mavs, and Clippers, three clubs who were further up in the standings than LAL—as well as some unsatisfactory ones—losing to Toronto, Memphis, and Brooklyn.
The NBA operates by having a road stretch after a home-heavy run. The Lakers' next six games are against Golden State, Houston, Atlanta, Boston, New York, and Charlotte.
With the trade deadline quickly approaching, how the Lakers perform on that trip will reveal a lot about their current position in the standings as they prepare for the postseason.
