Utah Jazz vs Chicago Bulls: Game Thread

The Utah Jazz play game 3 of 4 in this last East road trip of the season tonight, against the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls are currently in 10th place in East and 2.0 games out of the post-season. They are 2-8 in their last 10 and 6-9 in their last 15 at home. (More recently 1-4 at home.) One thing they do have is that they did beat Utah in Utah earlier this season. A second thing could be the fact that Utah hasn't won in Chicago since January 2015. Both teams are missing key players so it could be worth the watch.

Game Preview | Overtone | Five Things to Watch | Blog a Bull

Team Breakdown:

The Bulls are a defense first team this season. Part of that is their Top 10 Opp PPG (only 103.4, 8th best in the NBA), and slow pace (25th in the NBA). But a bigger part of their "defense first" mentality has to be their inability to score. Chicago is 21st in ORTG (107.0), and 25th PPG (101.9). They are dead last in the eFG (.480), and don't get to the line much (19th in FT/FGA). So of course tonight I expect them to make all their threes and get to the line all night long.

Defensively they don't send teams to the line, and on both sides of the court they are relentless on the glass (2nd in ORB%, 11th in DRB%). So Rudy Gobert is going to need some help, he can't fend off four guys by himself.

With Wade being out this means Butler returns to SG, which is his natural position. His size advantage returns as well.

Fan Map:

AllThatAmar, Twitter.com

So this is what winning six rings in the 90s gets you . . .

Assumed Starters:

• PG: George Hill vs.Rajon Rondo
  
• SG: Joe Ingles vs. Jimmy Butler
  
• SF: Gordon Hayward vs. Paul Zipser
  
• PF: Joe Johnson vs. Bobby Portis
  
• C: Rudy Gobert vs. Robin Lopez

Injuries / Absences:

• PG: Cameron Payne (CHI, OUT), Shelvin Mack (UTA, OUT)
  
• SG: Dwyane Wade (CHI, OUT), Rodney Hood (UTA, OUT)
  
• SF:
• PF: Derrick Favors (UTA, OUT)
  
• C:
  

GO JAZZ GO!