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I've lost two NBA games in a row, and they were losers in two very different fashions. Two nights ago, I lost by a hook after two free throws were missed in the final few seconds of the game. Last night, I was just wrong. I picked the 76ers to win the game, and the Celtics went scorched earth on Philadelphia. The 76ers barely even decided to show up last night, and they completely forgot to guard Paul George. I prefer to lose like that as opposed to the first night. Tonight, the Spurs take on the Bulls, and I'm looking to stop the losing skid at two games.
Coming into the season, the San Antonio Spurs' biggest question was how they would respond to losing the NBA Championship. Only 15% of the way into the new campaign, it looks like they are still locked in. The Spurs are 9-2 for the season, and they have been perfect on the road. San Antonio didn't need to make moves in the offseason, already having one of the deepest and best rosters in the league. The Spurs are young, and getting to the Finals last year gave them great experience. Now they need to convert it into closing the deal.
It is hard to even imagine if there is a flaw in this Spurs roster. Victor Wembanyama is obviously the focal point of the offense and defense, but he has been surrounded by really talented players. Guys who love to play defense, and some good shooters. I suppose you could question if De'Aaron Fox is truly the correct point guard for the team. However, I think he's been a decent enough option. Their bench of Julian Champagnie, Keldon Johnson, Tobias Harris, and Luke Kornet is good enough that they could win a reasonable number of games if they were the starters.
The Chicago Bulls are struggling, to say the least. This wasn't ever a team that anyone should've expected to put together a ton of wins. Their ceiling was most likely the Play-In Tournament. They are a very young team, and while there are a few solid veterans, none of them will be mistaken for stars or superstars. Norman Powell is a solid player, but he has been injured. Nic Claxton is a solid center, but he also just returned to the team from injury.
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I'm not sure that Powell or Claxton are part of the long-term plans for Chicago. It seems more that the major investments for the team are Matas Buzelis and Caleb Wilson. Buzelis is likely to be a second or third option as his ceiling. Wilson could be a true top option on a team, but we will see how his development goes. He seems like a hard worker who could be a long-term difference-maker. The other option is Josh Giddey, and it does seem like the franchise plans to make him the leader on offense - maybe not scoring, but certainly for playmaking.
The biggest problem has been the Bulls' defense. Essentially, it is nonexistent. They are allowing almost 130 points per game. The Spurs can put up points in a hurry, and eventually they won't play tough defense because they likely will have a big lead in the game. The Spurs are not taking it easy on teams lately either. In four of their past five games, they've won by 22, 25, 22, and 26 points. The Bulls have played better at home, but I'm not backing them to cover here. I think the Spurs will continue routing teams and cover the -14.5 spread. I also like the over.
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