Preview: San Antonio Spurs vs. Chicago Bulls – Game #22
Chris Paul and the Spurs host the Bulls this evening (Photo via X)
After winning four consecutive games, the San Antonio Spurs (11-10) have lost two of their last three contests. Their latest defeat was at the hands of the Phoenix Suns. On Tuesday night, the Spurs struggled from three-point range and ended up losing by a final count of 104-93. Devin Vassell played well for the Silver and Black but the majority of his teammates struggled.
Tonight, the Spurs will try to recapture their winning ways versus the Chicago Bulls at the Frost Bank Center. The Bulls, who have a record of 9-13 on the season, are coming off of a 128-102 victory against the Brooklyn Nets. In that game, Josh Giddey posted a triple-double with 20 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists.
San Antonio Spurs Injury Update
There is bad news for the Spurs on the injury front. Superstar sophomore Victor Wembanyama is out tonight due to back discomfort. Wembanyama was apparently late in the loss to the Suns. There’s no word yet how long he will be out.
Joining Wembanyama on the sidelines will be Tre Jones. After hurting his ankle in the season opener, Jones suffered a shoulder injury recently and will miss his second consecutive game.
Jeremy Sochan returned against Phoenix after suffering a broken thumb. He is available to play again tonight.
San Antonio Spurs Starting Lineup
Without the services of Wembanyama, interim head coach Mitch Johnson will need to shuffle his starting five. At center, expect Johnson to go with Zach Collins. The rest of the starting lineup will most likely be Chris Paul at point guard, Stephon Castle at shooting guard, Julian Champagnie at small forward and Harrison Barnes at power forward.
However, it’s possible that Johnson could change the starting lineup due to both Devin Vassell and Jeremy Sochan being available. Vassell will eventually be a starter again — it’s just a matter of when. Sochan has also been used as a starter during his time with the Spurs, so he may eventually rejoin the starting unit.
With Wembanyama out, expect Charles Bassey to enter the rotation. It’s even possible that Bassey starts instead of Collins.
Betting Guide: Spurs vs. Bulls
The Spurs are favored by two points and the over/under is 236 points. The smart money is on the Spurs winning by three or more points. Not having Wembanyama will hurt but San Antonio has shown the wherewithal to win without their top gun. With the Spurs at home and the Bulls being a mediocre team, put your money on the Silver and Black.