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Games On Chicago Bulls Schedule That Deserve More Hype

By Jeremy Karll

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The NBA announced the schedules for all 30 teams Wednesday night, and that led every NBA fan to look for the big games to watch. There’s going to be a bunch of lists being made about the most intriguing games this upcoming season for the Chicago Bulls.

However, that doesn’t mean some games without much intrigue shouldn’t be completely ignored.

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The marquee games are obvious; the season opener against Cleveland, the Christmas Day game against Oklahoma City and of course, when they take on the defending champion Golden State Warriors.

Here are five more games that may not look as exciting at first glance but are games that you should definitely circle on the schedule to watch.

November 7th vs. Minnesota Timberwolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves won a league-low 16 games last year, but this is one of the most intriguing early season games. The Timberwolves come in with the last three first overall selections on their team: Anthony Bennett, Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns. The young talent doesn’t stop there though, they also have former first-round selection Adreian Payne and last year’s slam dunk competition winner Zach LaVine.

If those young stars aren’t enough to watch the game, then don’t forget that they have one of the best point guards in the league, Ricky Rubio. Derrick Rose will have faced Kyrie Irving and Russell Westbrook by this point, but it’s always fun to see him battle it out with Rubio because of how quick he is on defense. Don’t let the 16 wins from last year trick you, this team is booming with potential and has Kevin Martin back, who was having a very good season last year despite some injuries.

December 12th vs New Orleans Pelicans

Anthony Davis is not going to be a star, he is a star. He tore up the league last year and should do the same once again. “The Brow” is very unique and so is his game. He can score anyway possible and is a monster on defense, averaging almost three blocks a game. Davis is one of the top players in the league as he should be putting up another MVP-type season. It’s also fun to see a former Chicago native return to the Windy City.

Talking about returns, Omer Asik also comes back to where his NBA career started. The duo of Asik and Davis against Noah and Gasol down low will be very entertaining all game. The Pelicans also have Eric Gordon. When Gordon’s healthy, he is one of the most talented shooting guards in the league, and a real test for Jimmy Butler. Despite finishing last in the Southwest Division last year, the Pelicans still were able to win 45 games and showed great improvement all around from a year before. This team is only going to get better now that Davis signed a long-term extension with them this offseason. Whenever Davis comes to town, it’s always worth watching.

December 14th vs. Philadelphia 76ers

The 76ers?

Really? Yes, and here’s why.

The Sixers have been knocked by everyone for their tanking strategy, and for good reason. They still managed to draft a potentially dominant (and healthy) big man. Joel Embiid may not be playing again, and who knows if he ever will, but they still have former Illinois Mr. Basketball Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel down low. This is going to be Okafor’s first career NBA game in Chicago. The former Whitney Young star makes his return and all eyes will be on him. Okafor will most likely guard Noah, while Noel will guard Gasol, making it a very interesting game down low.

Tony Wroten and Isaiah Canaan both had very good seasons, when they played for Philly last year. Wroten dealt with injuries the second half of the year, while Canaan was acquired in a trade at the end of last year, only playing in 22 games for Philadelphia. Another name to watch for is Nik Stauskas. Coming out of Michigan last year, he and Doug McDermott were considered two of the best shooters in the draft. Stauskas was a top-10 pick by Sacramento, but was traded this past offseason after having a disappointing season. Assuming McDermott and Stauskas both see minutes, which I expect they will, it will be fun to see the former college stars face off. There may not be a lot of big names on Philadelphia this year, but some below the radar players may surprise you.

January 5th vs. Milwaukee Bucks

The last time the Bulls played the Bucks, things got a little testy in the six-game series win for the Bulls. This will be the first time we face off in the 2015-16 season and yes, another former Chicago native is coming to town. Jabari Parker tore his ACL last year and didn’t get a chance to return home and play in front of Bulls fans. He’s one of the great young players with a ton of potential, but just like a normal rookie he was streaky last season. Parker may have some nerves when he comes to town, but it’ll still be fun to see how he fares with Jimmy Butler’s defense on him all night.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has made huge strides since the start of his NBA career and the 6’11” “Greek Freak” should continue improving this year. Giannis is a nightmare to guard because his ability to handle the ball with his size, and as a result he can drop 20 points on any given night. It will be interesting to see what Fred Hoiberg does defensively against him.

The Bucks were probably the biggest surprise last year with their amazing turn around from the previous season. The addition of former Pistons big man Greg Monroe should help them compete with the Bulls and Cavaliers in the Central. Michael Carter-Williams and newly-paid Khris Middleton are also one of the better young backcourts in the league and should get better together as they play more games together. This game might be getting the coverage it deserves by the time it rolls around, but the Bucks are an up-and-coming team and look better than last year. They will be right up there in the East with the Bulls and Cavaliers this season, and this could end up being a big game.

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    • January 15th vs. Dallas Mavericks

    It seems like a normal game in the middle of January, but it actually has a lot more meaning than what meets the eye. The Mavericks are once again going to compete for a playoff spot, despite missing out on DeAndre Jordan and losing Tyson Chandler to the Phoenix Suns. The Rajon Rondo experiment ended up failing miserably and now they have a washed-up Deron Williams leading their team. Dirk Nowitzki is a future first-ballot hall of famer, and seeing him before his career ends is always an honor.

    But, none of that is why this game carries so much meaning. This is the fourth game in five days for the Bulls, a day after playing the 76ers in Philadelphia. In previous years I would be dreading a stretch like this. I would be worried about injuries and having our starters playing 35+ minutes a night, but now I’m kind of excited. Not only do we get to see a ton of Bulls basketball, we also get to see how Hoiberg manages minutes during this stretch. Fans should already have an idea of the way he spreads out playing time by this point of the season, but this being the Bulls’ only stretch like this during this season, it’ll be interesting to watch. I want to see how Hoiberg handles minutes, especially in this one. The Mavericks are a good team and this should be a good game, but not seeing our starters playing 35+ minutes this game would be a great sight.

    February 21st vs. Los Angeles Lakers

    This game will get more hype as it gets closer, but it might not get the love it deserves now. The United Center faithful will get their first look at D’Angelo Russell and Julius Randle, while also possibly getting their last look at Kobe Bryant. The Lakers were atrocious last year and I don’t expect the return of Kobe and Randle to make them a playoff team. But, the fact that the Lakers are coming in town is a reason to tune in alone.

    If this is Bryant’s last game in Chicago, then expect him to go out with a bang. Bryant has had an amazing career and is undoubtedly one of the greatest players in this generation. Even if Bryant decides to return for another season, there are plenty of other reasons to watch this game. The Bulls backcourt will have a busy day with Russell and Jordan Clarkson. Both young guards are above-average passers and the athletic Nick Young, a.k.a. Swaggy P, should give us some exciting plays. The Lakers have a bunch of young players with potential instead of a group of veterans like we’re use to seeing. Nonetheless, if this is Kobe’s last game at the United Center, Bulls fans will be glued to the TV.

    Next: Breaking down the full '15-16 slate for the Bulls

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