Chicago Bulls (5-20) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (16-7)

7 p.m. NBC Chicago Sports

Injury Report:

#thereturn of two key Chicago Bulls players will have to wait.

For the Thunder, forward Andre Roberson continues to miss extended time with a left knee injury after recently experiencing another setback.

Preview:

Bulls Offense

In the first game of the Jim Boylen era, the Chicago Bulls accumulated 90 points on 39.4 percent from the field (both were the fifth lowest marks of the season). That was against the Indiana Pacers who have the third best defensive rating in the NBA.

Things don’t get any easier tonight as the Oklahoma City Thunder bring their #1 defense into the United Center to provide another significant test to BoyBall or whatever we’re calling it.

That includes the Bulls potentially playing slow, something Boylen wants to do for some reason. While the Pacers were a bottom-5 pace team, the Thunder are 8th quickest.

Russell Westbrook

Nobody on this team has a prayer of stopping Westbrook. But maybe just keep him on the outside, as his 3 point shooting is only trending downward.

PG13

After stumbling through Oklahoma City’s Melo era, Paul George is having a career year now that Carmelo Anthony is gone. The former Indiana Pacer has averaged career highs per 36 minutes in points (25.1) and assists (4.4) while churning out a career high 21.5 player efficiency rating. He remains one of the best defenders in the NBA and at 6-foot-9-inches tall with an unfair wingspan he’ll give Zach LaVine or Jabari Parker (or whoever he guards) a stiff test on Friday night.

Defensive Boards

This is another point of emphasis from Boylen and it’ll be put to the test.

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