The Chicago Bulls will welcome the Los Angeles Lakers into the United Center tonight. Is another buzzer-beater in store!?
There is only one way to top the last time the Bulls and Lakers met at the United Center: Josh Giddey nails a backward, full-court buzzer-beater for the win. Fine . I would also accept a stretched-out Space Jam-esque dunk over LeBron James from halfcourt by Matas Buzelis.
There is only one way to top the last time the Bulls and Lakers met at the United Center: Josh Giddey nails a backward, full-court buzzer-beater for the win. Fine ... I would also accept a stretched-out Space Jam-esque dunk over LeBron James from halfcourt by Matas Buzelis. In all seriousness, we do have reason to believe that tonight's meeting between the two historic franchises could come down to the wire again. The Bulls enter the evening as one of the NBA's hottest teams. Their four consecutive wins are good enough for the longest active streak in the NBA. During this run, they have lit it up from downtown to the tune of 83 made triples. We have also seen them take down some pretty impressive teams, including the surging Clippers, experienced Timberwolves, and second-place Celtics. The Lakers also step into the United Center with a solid four-game stretch. They have gone 3-1 with wins over Toronto, Denver, and Dallas. Especially when we consider they have been without second-leading scorer Austin Reaves, their ability to keep up offensively and stay Top 5 in the East has been impressive. Of course, the biggest reason for this has been superstar Luka Doncic. Among the MVP frontrunners, Doncic is averaging a league-high 33.4 points per game on a league-leading 11.2 free throw attempts a night. Not many players can single-handedly beat you, but Doncic is undoubtedly one of those players. So, how do you stop him? You don't. The Bulls might want to focus far more on limiting the supporting cast. No bench averages fewer points per game than the Lakers' second unit!Jan 20, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis and guard Tre Jones high five during the second half against the LA Clippers at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images Aside from Zach Collins and Tre Jones, who are both experiencing extended absences, the Chicago Bulls come into tonight's game healthy. The only storyline to follow in this department will be the play of Josh Giddey. Limited in the last two games as he works his way back from a hamstring strain, the guard posted two very different performances against Boston and Minnesota . The Bulls are hoping the player who showed up against the Celtics is back on the floor tonight. As for the Lakers, they entered the week on the cusp of welcoming back Austin Reaves. He has been out since Christmas Day with a calf strain after serving as the team's second-leading scorer. Nevertheless, the Lakers have chosen to sit him for tonight's meeting with the Bulls before possibly easing him back into things later this week.Elias Schuster is a sports journalist and content creator from the northern suburbs of Chicago. A graduate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he has covered the Bulls since 2019-20 and previously served as the editor of BN Bulls at Bleacher Nation. He has been the Publisher for Bulls On SI since December of the 2025-26 season. When he isn't obsessing over hoops, Elias spends his time obsessing over practically every other sport – much to his wife's dismay. He also loves strolling the streets of Chicago for the best cozy bar or restaurant to set up shop and write his next article.Is Joel Embiid Playing Tonight?
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