Chicago Bulls vs. Golden State Warriors – NBA, Friday, November 12, 2021

Some basketball fans might be surprised to see the Bulls and the Warriors at the top of their respective conferences, but here we are. The new look Bulls are strutting their stuff to an impressive 8-3 record to start the year. Are the Bulls back?

The Bulls might not be the only team who is back, because the Warriors have gotten off to an even better start at a blazing 10-1. With Klay Thompson returning later this season, can the Warriors make it to another NBA Finals?

Let’s get into the breakdown and my prediction for this great game.

The Warriors are favored to win by 5 at home. With their 10-1 record, this isn’t too big of a surprise. The Over/Under is also set at 221.5 for the game. If you want to get in on the action, head to the NBA’s best betting sites.

The Bulls had one of the most underrated rosters coming into this season. The acquisition of Demar Derozan was frowned upon by a lot of critics, but he is proving them very wrong to start this season.

Derozan is off to a very hot start, averaging 26 points per game which is 6th highest in the entire NBA. He is meshing very well in this lineup and is capable of continuing this hot start throughout the entire season.

The Bulls will be coming off a win on Wednesday against the Mavericks, beating them 117-107 at home. They improved their home record to 5-2, while they will be on the road for this one. Their road record is 3-1, but a small sample size likely devalues their solid start.

Alex Caruso had an incredible 6 steals in their game and now leads the NBA in steals per game (2.5). Lonzo Ball shot 7 of 10 from 3 point range and looks to be growing into an even better player in the Bulls lineup.

GIMME THE HOT SAUCE @ZO2_!

21 PTS | 7-10 3PT | 6 AST | 6 REB pic.twitter.com/ByMqnw4cYV

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) November 11, 2021

Lonzo is a great defender and playmaker and if he can consistently hit threes, this Bulls team is going to be that much better. Him and Caruso will have their hands full with Steph Curry, but they are capable of keeping him in check. Unfortunately, you can’t stop Curry, you can only hope to contain him.

The Bulls have also been great on both sides of the court, ranking 6th in both Offensive Rating and Defensive Rating. They are also very good at taking care of the ball, as their 12.5 Turnover Percentage is good for best in the NBA. Their discipline continues into their free throws as well, ranking first in the league at 85.8%.

The Bulls may be the underdog in this one, but they are a very capable team this year and are going to be a serious threat come playoff time. This game can come down to the wire and the Bulls can very well pull off an upset.

I don’t have to explain to you how Steph Curry can take over a game at any moment. He has gotten off to yet another hot start and is second in the NBA in points per game with 27.4. Him and Steve Kerr are a player/coach dream combination. With how well they have played so far this season, it is possible that they can be that great team they once were a few years ago.

Curry is capable of putting up insane games on anyone, and he did it just two games ago. Curry put up an incredible 50 points on the Hawks and led them to a 127-113 victory.

50 points for number 30.

The Chase Center crowd showing appreciation for Steph Curry ? pic.twitter.com/MCNr57cAoU

— NBA (@NBA) November 9, 2021

Curry is not the only player who is having a great start to his season in Golden State. Jordan Poole (17.8 points per game) is a very underrated scorer and is filling in for Klay Thompson very nicely. Poole should play a big role throughout the rest of the season, as the Warriors are likely to have Thompson on a minutes limit, as well as tons of rest days.

Andrew Wiggins is also carrying his own weight in the Warriors lineup, averaging 17.4 points per game himself. Draymond Green is playing very well too, averaging 8.2 rebounds, 7.2 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. He is not a scorer, but he does all of the other stuff very well.

It is scary to think one of their best players isn’t even playing at the moment. The Warriors are also doing something else that sets them apart from other teams. Their Assist percentage is 70.7%, best in the league. Steve Kerr loves to employ unselfish basketball and they are doing it very well right now.

This one is a very difficult decision, both teams are playing very well right now. I think the Bulls match up well with Curry. Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso can force the other Warriors players to step it up.

With Nikola Vucevic entering health and safety protocols for the Bulls, he will be missing this big matchup with the Warriors. On the other hand, Draymond Green is battling a thigh injury and could miss this game as well.

The Bulls have been playing solid basketball, but if they can’t establish a solid lead, the Warriors can come back at any moment.

I am going to play it safe here and simply bet on the Under. Both of these teams are capable of winning this game, making it tough to decide on the moneyline.

The only thing that worries me is the Warriors pace (102.17, 5th highest in the NBA). They play very fast and they can go on a hot streak at any moment. The Bulls have a slower pace (99.14, 17th highest in the NBA), which bodes well for the under as well. Not to mention the Under has hit in 62.5% (5 out of 8 games) of Warriors’ home games so far this season.

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