Game #4: October 30 @ Indiana Pacers
After starting hot in the first three games, I have the Bulls hitting a bump in the road here. Up against an elite playmaker in Tyrese Haliburton and an assortment of sharpshooters, Indiana has the tools to get the best of the Bulls — even if they’re not the more talented team on paper. In fact, the Pacers enter this year on a three-game win streak in head-to-head games against Chicago and could stretch that to four if Billy Donovan doesn’t have something up his sleeve.
- Prediction: Loss
Game #5: November 1 @ Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are the NBA’s biggest wild card team this season, which makes predicting anything they do with certainty a challenge. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving should be dangerous enough to threaten even the best teams in the league, but a lack of depth and chemistry has prevented this team from reaching their full potential. The Bulls did win both of their encounters against Dallas last season, but the additions of Grant Williams and several interesting role players may be enough to tip the scales this time around.
- Prediction: Loss
This stretch will be Chicago’s most challenging during their first 10 games.
Game #6: November 3 vs. Brooklyn Nets
After comfortably beating the Nets in their first two encounters last season, the Bulls didn’t actually struggle with Brooklyn until after they dealt Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving away. As currently constructed, the Nets are a very well-rounded team that will be a tough out for anyone. I do think the Bulls have the superior top-end talent, however, and should be able to come out of this one with a victory.
- Prediction: Win
Game #7: November 4 @ Denver Nuggets
If the Nets are lacking in top-end talent, this next game more than makes up for it, as the Bulls head to Denver to take on arguably the NBA’s greatest player of the last three seasons. After winning his first championship, Nikola Jokic is showing no signs of slowing down now. The Nuggets are simply too well-rounded of a team to expose their weaknesses, so I’ll just go ahead and pencil the Bulls down for a loss here.
- Prediction: Loss