A classic in the NBA is about to live the latest installment in its rich history: on the next 27th of January, the Chicago Bulls will take on the Los Angeles Lakers at the United Center. As we write this, the two franchises are not in their best shape.
LA sits fifth in the Western Conference and is paying the price for its huge number of injuries, a factor that slowed down its production, especially in the month of December. Chicago is in a pretty bad situation.
They are ninth in the East, with a .484 record that tells you everything you need to know about their season: the Bulls are nowhere near where they would like to be.
However, this very challenge has always evoked great battles and brings to mind stellar names, including numerous NBA MVPs.
In this regard, for anyone interested in the MVP futures market, Oddschecker offers all the statistics, bonuses, and odds regarding the potential names to win the NBA season’s MVP title. Will Shai Gilgeous-Alexander repeat himself or will someone else impose himself on the league?
Players like Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic are more than ready to strip SGA of his crown, but we should keep an eye on Jaylen Brown, too. The race for the MVP is heating up, as it should do.
The numbers’ game
Basketball is a game of numbers and it is possible to preview a match-up by reading the combined statistics. In order to do just that, we will point out the most interesting stats regarding both teams.
The Lakers won way more games and played less this year, so far. As we write, LA defends a 19-10 record while Chicago has a losing one, at 15-16. These are partial, since there are a lot more games to be played during the course of the winter but are already pretty telling. The Lakers have a stronger roster.
Let’s just check the leaders out. Doncic scores an average of 33.7 points per game; he assists his teammates 8.7 times and steals 1.55 balls each game. Josh Giddey, the Bulls’ best overall player, has an average of 19.5 ppg; 9.1 rebounds pg and 9.2 assists pg.
The distance in scoring is clear. Deandre Ayton and Austin Reaves, Doncic’s teammates, seem more helpful than Tre Jones, Matas Buzelis and Ayo Dosunmu, Giddey’s partners in crime.
Considering these numbers, the Lakers are favourites, as they should be. Obviously, though, the Bulls will play in front of their faithfuls and could upset LA in a memorable match-up, on par with a lot of unforgettable Lakers-Bulls games we had in the past.
Icons who played in Bulls VS Lakers
This game represented the chance to shine for a lot of superstars who graced the league with their performances.
For the Bulls, pretty much everyone who knows something about basketball remembers of the wonderful 90s, the decade when Michael Jordan and Scotty Pippen ruled the court as part of arguably the greatest team to ever play in the NBA: the magical franchise that redefined the sport around mid-90s.
Of course, the Lakers are not strangers to superstars, as they have had some of their own in franchise history. The better known players to wear yellow and purple are probably Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson.
The co-captain of the 1992 Dream Team holds the record for average assists per game in the regular season and in the playoffs. He is the leading NBA assistman in the playoffs and the player with the most triple-doubles in the post-season.
Black Mamba is a true legend in LA. He holds the franchise record for games and minutes played; 3-points scored; free throws made and ball steals.
Maybe this game will introduce us to another all-time great like these four just mentioned.
