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The in-form Chicago Bulls visit the American Airlines Center on Sunday to take on the Dallas Mavericks for an exciting 2021-22 NBA season game.
The Bulls have won their last nine games in a row. They defeated the Washington Wizards 130-122 in their previous game. Meanwhile, the Mavericks are on a five-game winning streak. They are coming off a 130-106 blowout win over the Houston Rockets.
Match Details
Fixture: Chicago Bulls vs Dallas Mavericks | NBA Season 2021-22.
Date & Time: Sunday, January 9th, 2022; 7:30 PM ET (Monday, January 10th; 6:00 AM).
Venue: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
Chicago Bulls Preview
The Chicago Bulls have been on a tear since their return to court post the COVID outbreak at their camp. Their leading scorers, DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, have helped them record a league-high nine straight wins, propelling the team to a 26-10 record. The Bulls now sit first in the Eastern Conference standings, 2.5 games ahead of the second-place Nets.
Chicago is coming off a hard-fought win over the Wizards. They did an excellent job offensively. Zach LaVine scored a team-high 27 points, while five other players scored more than ten points to round off a brilliant team effort.
The Bulls shot an impressive 52.7% from the field, with 15 of their made shots coming from the arc. They also made 19 out of 21 free throws and racked up 34 team assists.
Despite their impressive run, the Chicago Bulls still have room for improvement. Most of it has got to do with their effort on defense. They allowed 60 points in the paint and conceded 25 points on the fastbreak. These are some areas they will have to work on to improve their chances of beating the Dallas Mavericks.
Key Player - Lonzo Ball
The Chicago Bulls made some excellent additions to their roster this offseason. Former LA Lakers star Lonzo Ball was also among them. Ball has fit into Billy Donovan's plan with ease. His ability to shoot the ball efficiently, defend at a high level and make plays for his teammates has been key to the team's success.
Ball's main challenge against the Dallas Mavericks will be on defense. He will have to try and limit Luka Doncic as much as possible as he is the focal point of the Mavs' offense.
Chicago Bulls Predicted Lineup
G - Lonzo Ball | G - Zach LaVine | F - DeMar DeRozan | F - Derrick Jones Jr. | C - Nikola Vucevic.
Dallas Mavericks Preview
The Dallas Mavericks have made a remarkable turnaround over the last few weeks. They went from 16-18 to 21-18 between the end of December to now in emphatic style.
The Mavericks have beaten the likes of the Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors in that stretch. They were in top form against the rebuilding Rockets in their previous outing. They managed to get going offensively on the back of six players scoring ten points or more.
The Mavs shot 54.4% from the field, including 17 3-point field goals from the arc. That was possible because of their smooth play on offense, which saw them record 34 team assists on the night.
The Dallas Mavericks rebounded efficiently, helping them score most of their 16 second-chance points and limiting the Rockets to just eight. Making hustle plays like they did in that contest could earn them a surprise win over the rampant Chicago Bulls.
Key Player - Tim Hardaway Jr.
Tim Hardaway Jr. hasn't performed as expected this season. Nevertheless, he has improved his showings over the last few weeks. Hardaway Jr. may have to take up a prominent role on offense again if Luka Doncic remains sidelined. Doncic is listed as questionable for this contest.
Hardaway Jr. did an excellent job of making reads and finding scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates in the last game. If he can replicate that against the Bulls, the Mavericks will have a solid chance of winning this contest.
Dallas Mavericks Predicted Lineup
G - Luka Doncic | G - Tim Hardaway Jr. | F - Dorian Finney-Smith | F - Maxi Kleber | C - Dwight Powell.
Bulls vs Mavericks Match Prediction
The Chicago Bulls and Dallas Mavericks are among the most in-form teams in the league right now. Their matchup could go down to the wire if Luka Doncic is cleared to play for the Mavs. It will be interesting to see if Dallas can withstand the Bulls without Doncic.
They will also be without head coach Jason Kidd, who is in the league's health and safety protocols. Chicago's overall form has been much better, so they will enter this game as the favorites.
Where to watch Bulls vs Mavericks
The game between the Chicago Bulls and Dallas Mavericks will be televised locally on NBC Sports Chicago and Bally Sports Southwest. Fans can also view the match online via NBA League Pass.
