New Orleans Pelicans travel to Chicago for second preseason battle
By Willie Lutz
The New Orleans Pelicans will stay on the road after their impressive preseason debut, this time they’ll be facing Bulls in Chicago.
Night one of the preseason was fun and allowed the team to run to a 133-109 victory. Now the New Orleans Pelicans will have to stay alert on the road, as they head to the United Center to take on the Chicago Bulls.
After their pair of preseason openers, the two found themselves with different answers. The Pelicans won handily against the Atlanta Hawks for a 1-0 start, while the Bulls fell to 0-1, falling to a tough Milwaukee Bucks team 112-122 on Monday.
Set for a 7 p.m. CT tip-off from the Windy City, these two teams are set for a preseason clash of the turn-arounds. Both teams dealt with dramatic departures over the last few years, but have popped back on their feet and once again seem ready to chase glory… except at one point, Chicago’s glory came via Michael Jordan.
Keeping the motor churning in game two of the preseason has a lot to do with ball movement. The New Orleans Pelicans new-look offense thrilled against Atlanta, with the ball flying all over the court.
Contributing a team-high 7 assists against the Hawks, Lonzo Ball will have a sizable say in tonight’s outcome. Chicago does have the tough-defending point guard Kris Dunn on their side.
They’ll also have incredible bench defender Shaq Harrison ready to check Ball and other New Orleans Pelicans’ guards.
Tonight could give Jrue Holiday a chance to shine against the weak-defending Zach LaVine. Holiday led the team with 21 points, contributing 3 assists to the team’s 25 in total.
Alvin Gentry could try to run the offense through Holiday tonight, as Chicago’s point guards defend pretty well compared to most in the league.
The battle of the bigs is the most intriguing part of tonight’s match-up
With the Chicago Bulls trying to turn their rebuilt roster into a contender, they’ve had a chance to solidify what was a bleak roster just a few seasons ago. The Bulls’ front office built an arsenal of big men that could give many teams a lot of issues.
Lauri Markkanen could cause this team some defensive issues. He’ll be the first big test for Zion Williamson as an NBA defender.
With incredible range and a 7-foot, 240 LBs frame, Markkanen shoots the rock from three at a 36.1% rate, but is Chicago’s most dangerous scorer. He plays as a power forward and will likely force Zion to chase him around the perimeter.
When it’s not Markkanen, the Chicago Bulls’ head coach Jim Boylen will get the chance to rotate Thaddeus Young into the mix. The veteran signed with the Bulls in the offseason and could be the first NBA player to blow Zion’s mind on the defensive end.
As a whole, the Bulls have the ability to cause turbulence on the inside for the New Orleans Pelicans. They’ve got a lot of really big, talented scoring options.
However, if they play good defense, it’s going to be a really good testament to this frontcourt’s fortitude heading into the season.
Tonight will be interesting for Jahlil Okafor, who shined in the team’s first draw of the preseason.
Against Atlanta, Okafor was a menace around the rim, picking up 11 points and 6 rebounds, 5 of which came on the offensive glass. Tonight, he’ll go up against a much more formidable defender and rebounder in Wendell Carter Jr.
It could also be a bigger night for Derrick Favors and Jaxson Hayes, as the pair were limited in both the team’s open practice on Saturday and in Atlanta on Monday. They didn’t show up on the injury report before tonight’s tilt, meaning Alvin Gentry could get to start working them into the rotation.
While the team will be missing Josh Hart tonight, who is day-to-day with knee soreness, they’ll have a chance to play a tough game against a Chicago Bulls team who’s also looking to turn around a rebuilt roster. Tonight’s game will give fans a chance to see how this team hangs with another core of young talent.