After picking up a surprising win on the road in their opening game over the Miami Heat, the Chicago Bulls look forward to a stretch of games now that could have them sitting comfortably if they perform up to expectations. Their next stop now is in Washington, where they’ll take on a steadily improving Wizards team.
The Wizards have also started their season with a pristine 1-0 record, albeit against much weaker competition. They defeated the actively tanking Indiana Pacers 114-107 to start their year, and will now face a real playoff-caliber team for the first time this season in the Bulls.
That doesn’t mean Chicago can take Washington lightly, however, as this Wizards team looks better on paper than they have in a long time. The Bulls have won 8 of their last 10 contests against Washington and swept the season series 3-0 last season. Here’s to hoping they continue the win streak tonight.
How to watch Chicago Bulls vs Washington Wizards
- Date: October 21, 2022
- Time: 7:00 p.m. ET, 6:00 p.m CT
- Where: Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.
- Watch: NBC Sports Chicago, NBA TV
- Stream: FuboTV
Chicago Bulls vs Washington Wizards Odds, Spread, Over/Under
- Favorite: Wizards (-2)
- Over/under: 224.5 points
- Moneyline: +106 Chicago/-124 Washington
Gambling odds and information courtesy of FanDuel. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. Displayed odds current as of Friday at 7:00 a.m. CT.
Projected Chicago Bulls Starting Lineup and Injury Report
- PG: Ayo Dosunmu
- SG: Alex Caruso
- SF: DeMar DeRozan
- PF: Patrick Williams
- C: Nikola Vucevic
- IR: Out – Lonzo Ball, Zach LaVine
As expected, Zach LaVine will be resting in the Bulls’ second game of the season, waiting for Saturday’s home opener against Cleveland to make his first appearance of the year. This opens up more opportunities for Dosunmu and the rest of Chicago’s backcourt, and we can expect DeRozan to pull out all the stops to secure a win once again.
The only real uncertainty in this projection is whether or not Patrick Williams will continue to anchor the starting power forward slot after a lackluster performance in the home opener. Expect Javonte Green to put up a fight for that starting job all season, because he’s not going anywhere.
Bulls list Zach LaVine out vs. Wizards.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) October 20, 2022
Staff Predictions
Much like the Sacramento Kings over in the Western Conference, I believe the Washington Wizards are being overlooked by many simply due to a lack of regular season success and playoff appearances in recent years. However, a revitalized frontcourt featuring Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle Kuzma alongside Bradley Beal and a whole host of intriguing prospects could mean the Wizards are for real this year. Still, the Bulls will still have the best player on the court, and a deeper bench this year could spell trouble for Washington.
Bulls Upcoming Schedule
- Oct. 22 vs Cleveland Cavaliers (0-1)
- Oct. 24 vs Boston Celtics (1-0)
- Oct. 26 vs Indiana Pacers (0-1)