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The Chicago Bulls take on the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center in an enticing 2020-21 NBA matchup on Wednesday. This will be the second time the two sides will square off this season.
In their first meeting this season, the Chicago Bulls beat the New Orleans Pelicans 129-116, with Zach LaVine producing a season-best 46 point outing. The Bulls, however, had lost two-straight games leading up to this matchup.
The New Orleans Pelicans, meanwhile, will fancy their chances of avenging their loss against the Chicago Bulls earlier this campaign. That's because Zion Williamson and crew beat Western Conference leaders Utah Jazz in their last game and will be high on confidence.
Match Details
Fixture - Chicago Bulls vs New Orleans Pelicans | 2020-21 NBA Season.
Date & Time - Wednesday, March 3rd; 8:00 PM ET (Thursday; 6:30 AM IST).
Venue - Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LA
Chicago Bulls Preview
The 15-18 Chicago Bulls were surging at one point, winning three games on the trot. But Billy Donovan's side are on a two-game skid at the moment.
The two losses came against strong opponents like the Phoenix Suns and the Denver Nuggets, though; the Chicago Bulls were beaten 112-118 by Denver Nuggets in their last outing. So, the Chicago Bulls will be hopeful of faring better against a lower-ranked team like the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Chicago Bulls didn't start their last game well, conceding a 15-point lead in the first half. But Zach LaVine (23 points, nine rebounds) and Coby White (20 points, ten rebounds) took charge late in the game, pushing the Chicago Bulls to a 95-89 lead with nine minutes on the clock.
However, Nikola Jokic switched on his MVP mode to eventually overwhelm the Chicago Bulls.
Key Player - Zach LaVine
The New Orleans Pelicans are sixth overall in terms of offensive rating, which could be key against a rather mediocre defensive side like the Chicago Bulls. In that regard, the Chicago Bulls will have to put extra effort at the offensive end, and who better than Zach LaVine to do that?
The last time the two sides met, LaVine produced a 46-point outing against the New Orleans Pelicans, who aren't great defensively either. If he is able to replicate that performance again, the Chicago Bulls will fancy their chances of a win.
Predicted Lineup
G - Coby White, G - Zach LaVine, F - Garrett Temple, F - Patrick Williams, C - Wendell Carter, Jr.
New Orleans Pelicans Preview
The 15-19 New Orleans Pelicans have been quite disappointing this season but have been quite entertaining to watch at times.
They pulled off one of the biggest upsets in their last game, beating their conference leaders, the Utah Jazz 129-124. Zion Williamson scored 26 points, claimed ten rebounds and provided five assists while relentlessly attacking the Utah basket with brute force.
Apart from Williamson, Ingram (26 points) and Ball (23 points) popped up with valuable contributions too. Head coach Stan Van Gundy will hope for an encore against the struggling Chicago Bulls.
Key Player - Zion Williamson
Zion Williamson brings a lot of energy to the New Orleans Pelicans team. His offensive prowess was at full display against the likes of two-time defensive player Rudy Gobert.
Williamson will fancy his chances of a big outing against the Chicago Bulls, as they don't have a solid defender in their ranks to combat the powerful young superstar.
Zion Williamson is averaging 25.5 points per game and has a player efficiency rating of 26.97 this season. The New Orleans Pelicans camp will be hoping he steers them to a win and helps them boost their playoff chances.
Predicted Lineup
G - Lonzo Ball, G - Eric Bledsoe, F - Brandon Ingram, F - Zion Williamson, C - Steven Adams.
Bulls vs Pelicans Match Prediction
The New Orleans Pelicans are the favorites to win this game, as they would be pumped after beating a top side like the Utah Jazz.
Considering their recent form, the Chicago Bulls may find it difficult to perform to the best of their abilities. Unless the Bulls step up defensively and neutralize Zion Williamson's threat, they are unlikely to win this game.
Where to watch the Chicago Bulls vs New Orleans Pelicans game?
The coverage of the game in the USA will be shown locally on Fox Sports New Orleans and NBC Sports Chicago. The match can also be streamed live with an NBA League Pass.
Guess the Lakers players!
