The Clippers host the Bulls at Intuit Dome on Friday, March 13, at 10:30 PM ET.
The Clippers are 33-32 and eighth in the West, while the Bulls are 27-39 and 12th in the East. The Clippers are 18-13 at home, and the Bulls are 11-21 on the road.
The Clippers last played on Wednesday and beat the Timberwolves 153-128. The Bulls played last night and lost 142-130 to the Lakers.
These teams have played once this season, and the Bulls won 138-110, so they lead the series 1-0.
For the Clippers, Kawhi Leonard is putting up 28.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists, while Bennedict Mathurin has produced 19.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 13 games with the Clippers.
For the Bulls, Josh Giddey is at 17.9 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 8.8 assists, while Matas Buzelis is posting 15.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists.
This is a pressure game for both sides. The Clippers are trying to keep a real surge alive after winning six of their last seven, and the Bulls are trying to finish a road trip with a statement win after already taking a big loss on Thursday night.
Injury Report
Clippers
Bradley Beal: Out (left hip fracture)
John Collins: Out (neck strain)
Darius Garland: Out (left toe injury management)
Yanic Konan Niederhauser: Out (right Lisfranc ligament tear)
Bulls
Zach Collins: Out (right 1st toe surgery)
Noa Essengue: Out (left shoulder surgery)
Jaden Ivey: Out (left patellofemoral pain syndrome)
Mac McClung: Out (G League – Two-Way)
Anfernee Simons: Out (left ulnar styloid fracture)
Isaac Okoro: Doubtful (right patellofemoral pain syndrome)
Collin Sexton: Doubtful (left fibular head contusion)
Jalen Smith: Doubtful (right calf strain; injury management)
Patrick Williams: Questionable (left ankle sprain)
Guerschon Yabusele: Questionable (left foot soreness)
Why The Clippers Have The Advantage
The Clippers bring the cleaner offensive profile into this matchup. They own a 117.1 offensive rating, which ranks 12th, shoot 48.3% from the field, and hit 36.5% from three, which ranks seventh. They also lead the league in free-throw percentage at 83.2%. That matters against a Bulls defense with a 117.7 defensive rating, which ranks 23rd, because the Clippers do not need a huge-volume three-point night to score efficiently.
The pace is another big edge for the Clippers. They play at 96.37 possessions per game, one of the slowest tempos in the league, while the Bulls are at 101.70. That matters because the Bulls are better when the game opens up and turns into a passing-and-pace contest. If the Clippers slow it down, they can pull the Bulls away from one of their clearest strengths.
The recent form lines up with that too. The Clippers have won six of their last seven, just scored a season-high 153, and became the first team in league history to go from 15 games under .500 to one game over in the same season. The Bulls have been more competitive lately, but they are still just 3-3 since the end of that 11-game skid and they are finishing a road trip in a tough spot.
There is also a clean matchup path on the wing. Kawhi Leonard is the best scorer on the floor, and Mathurin has given the Clippers another downhill option who can punish second units and closeouts. Against a Bulls team missing several rotation guards and wings, the Clippers have enough size and shot creation to keep attacking the weak points of the defense instead of relying on one action over and over. That is a major reason the game still leans their way even with Garland out.
Why The Bulls Have The Advantage
The Bulls’ strongest case starts with tempo and ball movement. They average 28.9 assists per game, which ranks fifth, and they play at a 101.70 pace. They also make 14.6 threes per game on 40.1 attempts while shooting 36.4% from deep, which ranks eighth. That matters because the Clippers are much less comfortable when they have to defend multiple actions in a faster game instead of controlling the possession count.
The rebounding edge matters too. The Bulls are at 45.0 rebounds per game, while the Clippers are down at 40.8. That is not just a loose team stat. It matters because the Clippers are already without Collins and have a thinner frontcourt rotation, so the Bulls have a real chance to steal possessions on the glass if Yabusele plays and Buzelis stays active.
There is also a direct matchup reminder here. The Bulls already won the first meeting 138-110, and they are trying to sweep the two-game series. That game showed the clearest Bulls formula: push pace, score in volume, and make the Clippers chase bodies and ball movement instead of settling into a clean half-court defensive rhythm.
And while the overall record is still poor, the offense has shown real life lately. The Bulls scored 130 against the Lakers on Thursday and Buzelis has averaged 27.7 points over the first three games of the trip. If Giddey keeps the game organized and the Bulls hit enough threes to punish help, they can absolutely make this another uncomfortable night for the Clippers.
X-Factors
Kris Dunn is a real swing piece for the Clippers because this matchup needs his point-of-attack defense and connective play. Dunn is averaging 7.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists, and his job here is to make Giddey work before the Bulls can get into their second and third reads. If Dunn turns the first action sideways and keeps the Clippers out of scramble mode, that changes the whole feel of the game.
Derrick Jones Jr. is the other Clippers x-factor because his athleticism can swing the non-Kawhi minutes. He is putting up 11.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.2 assists while shooting 51.5% from the field. In this matchup, his role is to run the floor, finish cuts, and give the Clippers another defender who can survive against size on the wing. If Jones is winning those transition and effort plays, the Clippers get a lot harder to catch.
Rob Dillingham is a real Bulls swing piece because the bench creation matters a lot in this game. In 14 games with the Bulls, Dillingham has averaged 6.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 3.4 assists. His job here is to change pace, attack second units, and keep the offense alive when Giddey sits. If Dillingham gives the Bulls real dribble penetration, the Clippers will have to defend more than just the starting group’s actions.
Guerschon Yabusele is the other Bulls X-factor because the frontcourt battle is one place this game can flip. In 14 games with the Bulls, Yabusele is at 10.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.2 assists. If he is healthy enough to go, his role is obvious: win physical possessions, keep the glass honest, and give the Bulls another floor-spacing big against a thinner Clippers front line. If Yabusele plays well, the Bulls have a better chance to turn this into a possession game instead of a Kawhi shot-making game.
Prediction
I’m taking the Clippers. The Bulls have the pace, the passing, and the rebounding edge to make this tricky, but the Clippers still have the better recent form, the better top-end scorer, and the cleaner half-court profile for a home game. They rank 12th in offensive rating, seventh in three-point percentage, and first in free-throw percentage, while the Bulls sit 23rd in defensive rating and have been a weak road team all season. That is enough for me.
Prediction: Clippers 121, Bulls 114
