One of the must-see matchups on the second day of the 2023-24 NBA season is the Oklahoma City Thunder vs Chicago Bulls. It will be on Wednesday, October 25 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. On that note, let's take a look at the game's injury report, predicted lineup and starting fives.
The Thunder were one of the surprise teams last season, making it all the way to the play-in tournament despite the average age of their roster. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a coming out party, turning into a superstar with his performance on the court.
Meanwhile, the Bulls had a very disappointing campaign. They only managed to get into the play-in spots and failed to make the playoffs. Their front office barely made any changes and the team could be heading into a rebuild if they start this season poorly.
Explore the NBA Draft 2024 with our free NBA Mock Draft Simulator & be the GM of your favorite NBA team.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs Chicago Bulls injury report
The OKC Thunder have two players on their injury report for Wednesday's game against the Chicago Bulls. Jaylin Williams has been nursing a hamstring strain since last week and will be re-evaluated sometime next week. Kenrich Williams, on the other hand, has been ruled out for the Thunder's first two games of the season due to back spasms.
On the other hand, the Bulls have only one player listed on their injury report. Lonzo Ball is set to miss the entire 2023-24 NBA season due to a lingering knee issue that also kept him out all of last season. He had his third knee surgery in March and continues to do rehab.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs Chicago Bulls projected lineup rotation
The OKC Thunder will likely have a 10-man rotation to start the season. With Jaylin Williams and Kenrich Williams out, Isaiah Joe and Olivier Sarr could earn some minutes in the first two games of the campaign.
Here's the projected lineup rotation for Oklahoma City:
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- Josh Giddey
- Lu Dort
- Jalen Williams
- Chet Holmgren
- Cason Wallace
- Isaiah Joe
- Ousmane Dieng
- Olivier Sarr
- Vasilije Micic
As for the Bulls, head coach Billy Donovan primarily used a nine-man rotation last season. However, that could change because of how defensively sound their second unit is.
- Coby White
- Zach LaVine
- DeMar DeRozan
- Patrick Williams
- Nikola Vucevic
- Alex Caruso
- Ayo Dosunmu
- Jevon Carter
- Torrey Craig
- Andre Drummond
Oklahoma City Thunder vs Chicago Bulls projected starting 5
Projected Thunder Starting 5
- PG - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- SG - Josh Giddey
- SF - Lu Dort
- PF - Jalen Williams
- C - Chet Holmgren
Projected Bulls Starting 5
- PG - Coby White
- SG - Zach LaVine
- SF - DeMar DeRozan
- PF - Patrick Williams
- C - Nikola Jokic
Chicago Bulls Fan? Check out the latest Chicago Bulls depth chart, schedule, and roster updates all in one place.