Utah Jazz Seek Another Upset Against Struggling Chicago Bulls
The Utah Jazz have been on a wild ride recently. Led by star forward Lauri Markkanen, they pulled off a shocking victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night. This win came right after a tough 55-point loss to the Charlotte Hornets. Now, they prepare to face the Chicago Bulls in another important game.
Teams Head into Matchup with Different Momentum
Utah will travel to Chicago to play the Bulls on Wednesday. The Bulls are coming off a road loss to the Houston Rockets on Tuesday. Chicago has been struggling lately, especially with the absence of Josh Giddey due to injury. This has made them look like a fringe play-in tournament team in the Eastern Conference.
Meanwhile, the Jazz have performed better than many people expected this season. This surprising success could actually become a challenge for them. If they keep winning, they might risk losing their top eight protected draft pick. It is a tricky situation for the team management.
When and Where to Watch the Game
The Utah Jazz versus Chicago Bulls game is scheduled for Wednesday, January 14. Tip-off is at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The match will take place at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
For television viewers, KJZZ and CHSN will broadcast the entire game. Online streamers can watch the action on Fubo and Prime Video. Fans have multiple options to catch this exciting NBA contest.
Expected Starting Lineups
Utah Jazz
- Point Guard: Keyonte George
- Shooting Guard: Svi Mykhailiuk
- Small Forward: Ace Bailey
- Power Forward: Lauri Markkanen
- Center: Jusuf Nurkic
Chicago Bulls
- Point Guard: Tre Jones
- Shooting Guard: Coby White
- Small Forward: Isaac Okoro
- Power Forward: Matas Buzelis
- Center: Nikola Vucevic
Injury Report for Both Teams
Utah Jazz
- Lauri Markkanen: Day-to-day (Illness)
- Kevin Love: Out (Rest)
- Elijah Harkless: Out (Unspecified)
- Georges Niang: Out (Foot)
- Walker Kessler: Out (Left shoulder surgery)
Chicago Bulls
- Yuki Kawamura: Out (Lower leg)
- Coby White: Day-to-day (Injury management)
- Julian Phillips: Day-to-day (Wrist)
- Zach Collins: Out (Recovery from toe sprain)
- Josh Giddey: Out (Hamstring)
- Noa Essengue: Out (Underwent left shoulder surgery)
Game Prediction and Analysis
The Chicago Bulls currently hold an 18-21 record. The Utah Jazz stand at 14-25. These two teams will square off on Wednesday evening. The Jazz enter this game as huge 13-point road underdogs. They just defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 123-112 on Monday. That game also saw the Under (250.5) hit successfully.
Utah has won two of their last three games. However, they are only 2-6 overall in their recent stretch. They have covered the spread in five of their previous eight contests. For the season, the Jazz have a 22-17 record against the spread.
The Bulls lost to the Houston Rockets 119-113 on Tuesday. They were 12.5-point road underdogs in that game. The Over (224.5) hit in that matchup. Chicago has lost four of their last five games. They have a 2-3 record against the spread over that period. Their season ATS record is 19-19-1.
This game presents an interesting clash. The Jazz are riding high after a big upset, but they face injury concerns. The Bulls are struggling and missing key players. It could be a close and competitive NBA battle.
