Cavaliers vs. Bulls, Clippers vs. Lakers: Quick Hits for Prime-Time NBA Action
Nationally televised NBA action tips off Friday night at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN when the Chicago Bulls face their Eastern Conference foe, the Cleveland Cavaliers. Following that, a matchup of two teams on opposite ends of the playoff spectrum takes place when the Los Angeles Lakers play host to the Los Angeles Clippers.
There will be a definitive, resonating aura coming from the stands of the United Center when Derrick Rose plays his first home game in more than a year. He is a man on a mission, trying to resurrect a Bulls team that fared well without him for two seasons. He looks to carry momentum he picked up from a win over the Knicks, where he sat out the majority of the second half and scored 13 points, to go with five assists and two steals.
In the nightcap, Kobe Bryant will have to shoulder more of the burden after rookie forward Julius Randle broke his right leg on a drive to the hoop. Randle is likely done for the year. It wasn't a great debut for this year's Lakers squad overall, as the team was out-rebounded and lacked any sort of ball movement. Carlos Boozer was the lone bright spot for Byron Scott's team, chipping in 17 points and seven rebounds on more than 50 percent shooting.
Quick Hits for Cavaliers vs. Bulls
Chicago will be looking to put its stamp on this budding rivalry and send the Cavaliers to an 0-2 start. LeBron James is coming off a disastrous outing against the New York Knicks. James and company fought their way back in the game after going down by as much as nine points late in the fourth quarter. The King was turnover-prone and looked out of sync but made several nice plays, including a nice dish to longtime Cavalier Anderson Varejao.
Fresh off their shellacking of New York, the Bulls showed everyone just how potent their offense can be this year. The team was firing on all cylinders and received a combined 43 points and 19 rebounds from Pau Gasol and Taj Gibson. The defense held New York to just 36 percent shooting overall. The Bulls played without key wing Jimmy Butler, who sat out the game with a sprained left thumb. His status for Friday's game is up in the air.
The Bulls seemed fine without Butler, holding Carmelo Anthony to 14 points on less than 50 percent shooting. They also have a great one-two punch in the backcourt with electrifying point guard Aaron Brooks heading up the second unit. Chicago's depth, both in the frontcourt and backcourt, will prove pivotal in defending the big trio of James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love.
Irving will look to test the defense of Rose, as James looks to get his aggressiveness back. Expect a more channeled James and for Irving to get better looks at the basket in this hotly contested matchup.
The Cavaliers will upset the Bulls in Chicago for two reasons. James will eat Mike Dunleavy alive, and the backcourt of Irving and Dion Waiters will thrive. The pair combined for 32 points and nine assists against the Knicks. The Bulls are not ready to handle that type of backcourt yet. Kevin Love will have an off night going against Gibson and Noah, who will make him work for every point.
Prediction: Cavaliers 90, Bulls 87
Quick Hits for Clippers vs. Lakers
The Lakers were hoping to surprise people and churn out a competitive campaign this season, but things took a turn for the worse when Randle went down. With Nick Young still sidelined, the team needs Bryant now more than ever. Kobe and backcourt teammate Jeremy Lin were atrocious shooting the ball, combining to go 7-of-22. The Lakers were done in from the get-go after giving up a 31-point first quarter to Houston on Wednesday night.
The new talk-of-the-town Clippers, led by Doc Rivers, started off this year strong with a victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder—a team they may face in the Western Conference playoffs. The Clippers won a back-and-forth affair, stalling a late Thunder comeback in the final frame. Blake Griffin iced the game with a pair of late free throws. However, they will need to shore up a defense that allowed the Thunder, without their top two stars, to shoot 43 percent.
When Chris Paul and Griffin are firing on all cylinders, the Clippers are a tough team to stop. Boozer, Jordan Hill and Ed Davis are going to have a difficult time keeping the All-Star Griffin in check. Lin doesn't get a break either, as he goes against one of the best in Paul.
If the Clippers get their outside shooting going, the Lakers will be in for a rough night. Bryant can only do so much, and he will likely see a variety of defenders, but when The Mamba is on, he's on.
Let's be honest: Unless Bryant receives help from turnover-prone Lin, where do we see this Lakers team going?
Bryant is still working his way into game shape in a crowded Western Conference. He may be able to will his team to victory on most nights, but this won't be one of them. Scott is also trying to implement an offense that shot just 32 percent from the field against the Rockets. Until Bryant finds his groove, I have to pick against The Mamba here.
Prediction: Clippers 110, Lakers 94
