The 2019 preseason tips off for the Chicago Bulls tonight against the stout Milwaukee Bucks at home at the United Center.
The day has finally arrived for the Chicago Bulls to tip off the preseason. On Oct. 7, the Bulls begin their preseason slate against the reigning Central Division Champion Milwaukee Bucks at home at the United Center. At 7 p.m. CT, the United Center will be filled back up with the fans in red to cheer on their Bulls to hopefully get off to a solid start in this five game preseason slate.
In the preseason opener, the reigning Central Division Champions and NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo will be in the Windy City to face this improved Bulls team. The fans could get a look at a good portion of this 20-man roster the front office signed for Training Camp. New faces like combo guard Tomas Satoransky, forward Thaddeus Young, and center Luke Kornet could also get their first set of game action in a Bulls uniform in the next week or so.
Two other players the fans should be excited to see on this night are the rookie duo that encompasses big man Daniel Gafford and point guard Coby White. Gafford and White were the two Bulls draft picks this year and could give this rotation an even brighter future and a spark down the line as soon as during the stretch run in the upcoming regular season.
Some interesting news dropped from Joe Cowley of the Chicago-Sun Times ahead of this preseason opener that showed that White could play at either guard spot. That is surely a spot to watch for White in this opener.
Moreover, the Bulls enter this game as three-point underdogs at home to the Bucks.
More than anything, what a win here over the Bucks would do for the Bulls is give them confidence and exposure for the younger players in the rotation against a top end divisional opponent. The Bucks should be the far and away favorite to win this division for the second year in a row.
“Hutchison, Harrison, Carter and Kornet are out for tonight. Kornet went full practice today and is hopeful for Wednesday.” - Coach Boylen
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) October 7, 2019
There are a handful of Bulls players that are set to miss the preseason opener tonight. That could open up the door for the players that were just signed to the Training Camp roster to prove themselves in a bright spotlight for it being the preseason. Outside of Kornet (turf toe), the Bulls players that are missing tonight’s game includes center Wendell Carter Jr., guard Shaquille Harrison, and small forward Chandler Hutchison.
What head coach Jim Boylen does with the starting lineup will be interesting and could give a good look into how he’ll mix in the rotations in the remaining four preseason games. If he wants to put more trust into his rookies like Gafford and White, they could get a bulk of the starts in the preseason. But he’s likely to instill confidence in his older players in the preseason to get a solid footing with them.
If the Bulls grab a win and Boylen shows enough confidence in role players like point guard Kris Dunn and shooting guards Denzel Valentine and Adam Mokoka a lot of momentum. Valentine is coming off an entire missed regular season slate from a lower-body injury and Mokoka is yet to play in an official NBA game.
Next up for the Bulls after tipping off the preseason against the Bucks is an Oct. 10 home battle against the New Orleans Pelicans. The Bulls will get a good look at the rookie forward sensation that is Zion Williamson later on this week at the United Center. But they have to deal with the talented and deep Bucks first.