Somehow coming into this game, the Chicago Bulls have a longer win streak than the Los Angeles Lakers.
That shouldn’t deter the Lakers from enacting their usual gameplan tonight in Chicago. The 7-8 Bulls are on the second night of a back-to-back after a 123-110 victory in Charlotte against the Hornets.
The Lakers are coming off of a tough outing in Milwaukee on Thurday that saw the purple and gold come away with a 113-106 win over Giannis Antentokounmpo and the Bucks.
Injury news
Nothing new on the Lakers’ injury report vs. Chicago: LeBron James (left ankle sprain) is questionable.
Anthony Davis (right ankle sprain) is probable.
Jared Dudley (right calf soreness) and Kostas Antetokounmpo (right knee patellar tendonitis) are out.
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) January 22, 2021
As Jovan Buha of The Athletic tweeted, LeBron and Davis are both expected to play against the Bulls, with LeBron being questionable and Davis being probably. The Lakers will be without Jared Dudley and Kostas Antetokounmpo, but neither are key players in the rotation. We can expect the usual guys out on the court.
Billy Donovan said this isn’t definitive but he’d be surprised if Wendell Carter Jr. plays Saturday vs. Lakers.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) January 22, 2021
The Bulls will likely be without key big man Wendell Carter Jr, but Daniel Gafford started in his place against the Hornets and put up seven points and six rebounds in 18 minutes.
Betting central
Lakers (-9); O/U 227.5; Moneyline -420
The Lakers are the clear favorites against a young Chicago Bulls team led by rising star Zach LaVine.
Look to take the Lakers spread, as the Bulls will have no answer for Anthony Davis and LeBron James. Hopefully, Davis can look to jumpstart his recent form against a Bulls team that will struggle to defend against him. The Lakers are the top defensive team in the league and could potentially hold the Bulls under 100 points, so the under would be a good shout as well.
A player prop bet that I would consider is the over for Anthony Davis in both points and rebounds. He’s due to have a big game and the conditions are prime for him to break out against his hometown team, as Wendell Carter Jr. will likely be held out.
As always, please gamble responsibly and never bet any money that you can’t afford to lose.
*odds found on DraftKings Sportsbook as of 2 a.m. on gameday
Where to watch
The game can be watched on SportsNet LA at 6pm PST, and NBCS-CHI for our readers in the Chicago area.
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