Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets are coming in hot this season. They had a fiery journey through last season’s playoffs even though they were major underdogs according to most fans. Somehow, they made it through the finals and won their first-ever title. But the pressure is on as they will have to put in way more effort to retain the title. The Western Conference underwent a couple of serious changes which may cause them problems.
On the other hand, the Chicago Bulls aren’t living up to their full potential. Considering how much talent they’ve got on the roster, the Bulls are top five in the Eastern Conference on paper. Unfortunately, they’ve been dealing with injuries, mostly concerning Lonzo Ball. And the team also lack proper chemistry. This season may be their last chance to turn things around as it will be DeMar DeRozan’s final year with them.
Denver Nuggets Basketball >>>
— Swipa (@SwipaCam) October 4, 2023
The Nuggets won their preseason opener against the Phoenix Suns. But the Bulls lost to the Bucks by three points despite having a great start to the game offensively. Both teams will face each other at the United Center on October 12, 2023.
Nikola Jokic is available to start for the Bulls vs. Nuggets preseason game
The former back-to-back MVP will be available to start during the Nuggets’ upcoming game against the Bulls. He did not have much of a showing against the Suns as he played only 18 minutes. Jokic finished with 9 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists during the game. However, the Nuggets seemed far better on defense which immobilized the Suns’ offense.
The Bulls were also on a good pace during the first three-quarters of their opening hame against the Bucks. But their stars have to take charge to beat the Nuggets. As of now, Zach LaVine and DeRon are taking things slow during the preseason. LaVine finished with 9 points against the Bucks while DeRozan had 7. Patrick Williams stepped up and scored 17 points in 22 minutes.
Coby looked comfortable today 👏
14 PTS | 6-10 FG | 6 REB | 6 AST pic.twitter.com/5dq5ArC04o
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) October 8, 2023
Denver Nuggets Injury Report:
- Jamal Murray (Day to Day)
- Michael Porter Jr. (Day to Day)
Denver Nuggets Expected Lineup:
- Reggie Jackson
- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
- Justin Holiday
- Aaron Gordon
- Nikola Jokic
Chicago Bulls Injury Report:
- Lonzo Ball (Out)
Chicago Bulls Expected Lineup:
- Alex Caruso
- Zach LaVine
- DeMar DeRozan
- Patrick Williams
- Nikola Vucevic
Will the Bulls overcome Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets?
The Nuggets do not have much to worry about coming into this matchup. Even if Nikola Jokic fails to deliver, the Nuggets can rely on Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon. Murray proved himself to be an exceptional scorer during the 2023 NBA Playoffs. He averaged 26.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game and won Comeback Athlete of the Year during the ESPYs. Besides him, the Bulls will have to watch out for rookie Julian Strawther if Murray does not play. He led the Nuggets in points against the Suns.
Steal 🔜 deep bucket pic.twitter.com/oZdEHvglOY
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) October 11, 2023
Unfortunately, the Bulls will not have Lonzo Ball for at least one half of the season. They have had troubles defensively which he would’ve helped with. LaVine and DeRozan need to focus on being more consistent rather than having random scoring spurts. The Bulls struggled within the paint against the Bucks, meaning Nikola Vucevic needs to add pressure offensively. The Nuggets are the clear winners unless the Bulls manage to find loopholes to take advantage over.