Chicago Bulls vs. Charlotte Hornets: Game Outlook for Pre-Christmas Eve
The Chicago Bulls are 14-14 and going nowhere fast. The Charlotte Hornets are 16-13 and sitting nicely in the Eastern Conference’s No. 4 seed at this point. What will Friday night’s game bring between the two teams?
Here’s how you can sum up Friday night’s matchup between the Chicago Bulls and the Charlotte Hornets.
The Bulls have Rajon Rondo, a point guard past his prime that provides next to nothing except for a few flashes of his former self in a different uniform.
The Hornets have Kemba Walker, a former top-10 pick and national title-winner at Connecticut in the midst of his best season of his NBA career.
Despite losing four in a row recently, the Hornets have bounced back to win two straight at home against the Atlanta Hawks and Los Angeles Lakers respectively. Meanwhile, the Bulls haven’t been able to get out of their own way, losing seven of their last 10 games dating back to the Dec. 3 debacle against the Dallas Mavericks.
The point is, the Hornets are becoming one of those “other teams” in the Eastern Conference that could present something of a challenge to the reigning champion Cleveland Cavaliers.
“Yeah, but the Bulls beat the Cavs!”
(Yeah, they did. But, they’ve also lost to the Blazers, Lakers, Mavericks, Nuggets and Timberwolves. What’s your point?)
With that being said, here’s a previewed look at Bulls-Hornets that includes starting lineup projections, a quick breakdown of what to expect and a prediction for Friday’s game.
Oct 17, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Kemba Walker (15) smiles during the second half of a game against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center. The Hornets won 108-104 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
If you don’t know, you’re about to find out about Kemba Walker
This is Kemba Walker’s season so far for the Hornets:
The point is, Walker has been Charlotte’s best player and one of the best point guards in the NBA his season. He’s made a leap of sorts this season and it’s truly shown. There aren’t many point guards playing better than him this year, which could mean pure disaster for the Bulls on Friday night.
Why? Because their counter to that is Rajon Rondo.
But, it’s not just Rondo that’s going to have a tough time with his matchup. The Hornets possess a solid lineup full of versatile players that can help them stretch teams out on the defensive end.
Their offensive rating isn’t stellar (106.7, 17th in NBA), but they’re shooting 35.6 percent from 3-point range (11th in NBA).
Guys like Walker, Nicolas Batum, former Bull Marco Belinelli and Marvin Williams are all capable of hitting outside shots for the Hornets. Even Frank Kaminsky can pull defenders like Robin Lopez and Taj Gibson away from the rim with his outside shooting, despite the poor percentages on the perimeter this season.
The Bulls have been and are struggling on the defensive end, on top of their late-game struggles offensively. That’s not a good recipe for success with a team having the 7th-best defensive rating in the league (104.9) standing across from them.
Feb 8, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Doug McDermott (3) drives past Charlotte Hornets guard Nicolas Batum (5) during the second half of the game at Time Warner Cable Arena. Hornets win 108-91. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports
Starting lineup projections
Chicago Bulls:
Rajon Rondo, Dwyane Wade, Jimmy Butler, Taj Gibson and Robin Lopez
Charlotte Hornets:
Kemba Walker, Nicolas Batum, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Marvin Williams and Cody Zeller
(Outside of a couple games missed for Rondo with ankle issues and scheduled rest days for Wade, the Bulls other three starters have seen starts in every contest this season.)
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Prediction
The Bulls have a national television appearance and a rematch with the San Antonio Spurs awaiting them on Sunday night, so this shouldn’t be much of a contest.
In all seriousness, the Bulls have struggled against the Hornets in recent times, losing six of their last nine meetings against the Hornets/Bobcats dating back to the 2013-14 season. (They lost three of four meetings to the Hornets last season.)
Nothing outside of a random blowout win over the Detroit Pistons — who are in their own funk right now — points to the Bulls winning this game. Rondo has to guard Walker for spans throughout the game because Butler will have to mark guys like Batum and Williams.
Butler already has enough on his plate, and with Wade’s sporadic shooting as of late, the “Three Alphas” and the rest of the Bulls look to be in line for a long night at the office.
Hornets hand the the Bulls their second straight loss, 101-90.
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