Breaking Down Bulls' Lineup for Mavs Matchup

The Bulls and Mavericks are banged up ahead of Wednesday night's game.

Nov 1, 2023; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) dribbles as Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams (44) defends during the second quarter at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Chicago Bulls are entering tonight's matchup with a 3-4 record overall, dealing with several injuries to their lineup. Though most of these players are considered probable for tonight, including starters Josh Giddey and Patrick Williams and bench forward Jalen Smith, their primary scoring option Zach LaVine is still questionable after missing their last game against the Utah Jazz.

The aforementioned Giddey has been holding down the point guard spot so far this year, and his shooting has been solid through the beginning of 2024, hitting an uncharacteristic 44% of his threes. The rest of his game has been steady – he's averaging 14.4 points but also recording 7.1 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game, giving the Bulls some level of versatility at the lead initiator spot. He has been dealing with a non-COVID illness and is probable for tonight's game against Dallas.

READ MORE: Dallas Mavericks Final Injury Report vs. Chicago Bulls

The other guard spot has been owned by Coby White, the Bulls' third-leading scorer who has switched between lead guard and off-ball duties this season, doing a solid job at both. He is putting up 20.7 points per game, dishing 4.6 dimes, and grabbing 4.3 rebounds. White is one of two players in this starting lineup without some sort of injury designation and will likely be relied upon quite a bit in this Mavericks game.

As for small forward, the Bulls hope LaVine can make an appearance tonight. Their leading scorer at 22.7 points per game, he is an advanced shotmaker and fantastic athlete that, when he is on, can change a game with the ability to convert on difficult looks as well as get to the rim. If Chicago is hoping to beat Dallas, they will almost certainly need the firepower LaVine provides on the offensive end in order to keep up with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. His athleticism at 6-foot-5 makes him a difficult ask for any defender and could force the Mavericks to play an adept defender in Naji Marshall at the wing spot for much of the game.

READ MORE: Mavericks Starter Ruled Out Against Chicago Bulls

If LaVine is unable to play, the Bulls will go with Ayo Dosunmu, who had one of the best scoring games of his career against the Jazz on Monday with 25 points on 9-of-13 from the field. The 24-year-old is more accustomed to playing combo guard than small forward but can step into this role if the Bulls need him to.

Power forward is another question, and while Patrick Williams has held the spot for much of the season, and is probable for tonight, he has struggled recently. On the year, he's averaging just 8.0 points and 5.3 rebounds per game in 28.0 minutes, while shooting a team-low 31.7% from the field. While he's out on the court more for his defense than his offense, his defensive rating is 113.0. Compared to his offensive rating of 86.0, it's clear that at this point, Williams is a net negative for the Bulls.

At center, Chicago has Nikola Vucevic, a strong offensive player, but one that struggles to protect the rim. He's been putting up strong stat lines in his 13th season, averaging 21.7 points per game on top of 10.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists. He's also been very efficient, posting 54.8% on overall field goals and 48% from beyond the arc. Given Dallas is missing Dereck Lively II due to a shoulder sprain, it will be up to Daniel Gafford and the rest of the frontcourt (minus an injured PJ Washington) to keep Vucevic at bay.

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Other players that will see minutes are guard Dalen Terry, previously mentioned forward Jalen Smith (probable according to injury reports), and a bit of 21-year-old wing Julian Phillips. Guard Talen Horton-Tucker could also get some floor time, especially considering the fact that Dosunmu will be playing wing minutes and they will need reserves at the guard spot.

The Mavericks are banged up, but so is Chicago, and given how porous the Bulls' perimeter defense has been this season, this should be a get-right game for Dallas after losing 134-127 against the Pacers on Monday. Chicago can still score, especially if LaVine is playing, but if he isn't, there is no excuse for Dallas not to get the win.

READ MORE: Mavericks vs. Bulls: How to Watch, TV, Time, Odds, & Preview

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