In the NBA, the Portland Trail Blazers and Chicago Bulls will play each other next. Both teams are looking to snap their current losing streaks. Chicago is in 10th place in the East going into this game, while Portland is in 13th place in the Western Conference.
The Blazers have dropped their last five games. At home, four of these losses occurred. The Rockets defeated Chauncey Billups' team, which has a 13-28 record, 125-103 in their most recent game.
The hosts will be missing four players because of injury. The top two players on the list are Deandre Ayton and Deni Avdija, who each average at least 13 points.
The Bulls will be eager to resume their winning ways after losing a string of games. The last four games have been losses for Billy Donovan's team.
Last time out, they lost a terrible five-game homestand to the lowly Charlotte Hornets 125-123.
Surprisingly, the Bulls have performed better away from home than at home. Ten of their victories have come away from home, giving them an 18–24 record.
The club has suffered greatly from injuries this season, and six players are listed as injured for this trip. While Torrey Craig is out, Zach LaVine, Lonzo Ball, Jevon Carter, and Talen Horton-Tucker are all under suspicion.
The Chicago Bulls have dropped their last four games. The Charlotte Hornets defeated them 125-123 in a recent home game at United Center. Zach LaVine scored 19 points and Coby White scored 18, while Nikola Vucevic scored 40 points.
The Portland Trail Blazers lost their most recent game at Moda Center 125-103. Their sixth consecutive loss came at home against the Rockets. Toumani Camara scored 17 points and Anfernee Simons scored 13, while Scoot Henderson finished with 21 points and 11 assists.
The last time these clubs faced each other, the Bulls prevailed. There was a 110-107 triumph over the Blazers at United Center. The Bulls have defeated the Blazers five times in a row. They have won six of the last ten head-to-head matches.
Without LaVine, the Bulls are 2-3 this season, and he has missed five games. Bulls supporters have been pleased to see LaVine much healthy and performing at a high level following an injury-plagued 2023–24 campaign.
The Blazers have dropped their last five games and are only 13-28. There is no justification for the Bulls to leave Portland without a victory if they are serious about contending for the playoffs.
LaVine has been given a probable status for Sunday's game because of inflammation in his right patella tendon.
