The Golden State Warriors arrive in Chicago tonight feeling a little lighter than they did 24 hours ago. They just pulled off one of the most improbable wins of their season, a 99-94 upset in Cleveland with Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green all out, and now they get a shot at a Chicago Bulls team stuck in a six-game losing streak.
That win over the Cavaliers was all guts and role players. Pat Spencer, who started at point guard, dropped a career-high 19 points with seven assists and four rebounds, including an 8-0 run by himself in the fourth quarter and the game-sealing free throws. Gui Santos added 14 off the bench, Buddy Hield had 13, and Quinten Post flirted with a double-double. Golden State held Cleveland to just 34.6% shooting and improved to 12-12 on the season.
Now the Warriors continue the road trip at the United Center, where the Bulls are 6-4, but they’re just 9-13 overall and third in the Central Division. They’ve lost six straight and have been bleeding points. Chicago scores 118.5 per game (12th in the league) but gives up 122.5 (27th in the league), for a -4.0 scoring differential. That’s the profile of a team that can’t get stops when it matters.
Golden State isn’t exactly rolling, but the numbers look steadier. They’re 12-12 and eighth in the West, 5-9 on the road, with a +0.5 scoring margin: 113.1 points scored and 112.6 allowed. Offensively, they lean heavily on the three-point line. The Warriors hit 15.7 threes per game, the second-most in the NBA, while shooting 35.9% from deep and outscoring opponents by 2.0 threes a night. Even without Steph, the volume is still there; the key is whether they can get enough efficient nights from Hield, Spencer, Brandin Podziemski, and Moses Moody to make it matter.
The injury report is once again the storyline for Golden State. The Warriors were without Curry (quadriceps contusion), Butler (left knee injury management), Green (right midfoot sprain), Al Horford (right sciatic nerve irritation), Alex Toohey (left knee injury management), Seth Curry (right toe soreness), and De’Anthony Melton (left knee injury management) against the Cavaliers.
The elder Curry is not expected back until next week’s home date with Minnesota, but there are some positive updates. The Warriors expect to get Butler, Green, Horford, and Melton back tonight, per ESPN. Butler is the main story, as Steve Kerr said he was “optimistic” on his return.
When Butler has played, he’s been the Warriors’ best utility player this year: 19.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.0 assists on 51.9% from the field and 43.9% from three. Green anchors the defense and leads the team in rebounds at 6.1, while Podziemski (12.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists) and Moody (11.7 points, 2.4 made threes per game) give Golden State much-needed scoring pop on the perimeter. If the Warriors can get even one of Butler or Green back alongside the emerging Spencer, they suddenly look a lot more like a real NBA team and not just a scrappy Cinderella.
The Bulls, meanwhile, are trying to stop the bleeding. They’ve actually got talent, as Josh Giddey is basically a walking near-triple-double at 20.4 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 9.1 assists per game, while Coby White has exploded for 23.8 points and 6.2 assists in his six games so far. Nikola Vucevic adds 16.2 and 9.6 boards, and rookie Matas Buzelis chips in 13.9 points with 5.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocks. Chicago rebounds the ball at a high level (45.8 per game, fifth in the league) and launches plenty of threes (14.1 makes per game, eighth-most).
Their problem is on the other end. Opponents are shooting 47.4% from the field and averaging 123.8 points in the last 10 games. The rotations have been messy, the point-of-attack defense is weak, and even with Tre Jones, Isaac Okoro, and Patrick Williams in the mix, they haven’t been able to patch all the leaks.
Injuries aren’t helping. Kevin Huerter (left adductor strain) and Noa Essengue (left shoulder contusion) are out, while Jalen Smith (left hamstring strain), Tre Jones (left ankle sprain), and Isaac Okoro (left lumbar radiculopathy) are doubtful. Ayo Dosunmu (right thumb sprain) is questionable, and several others, like Coby White, Zach Collins, Patrick Williams, and Dalen Terry, are on the report as probable with minor knocks. They should be able to play, but this is still a team fighting both health and confidence.
From the Warriors’ perspective, the blueprint is pretty simple. Defensively, they need a similar effort to what they just showed in Cleveland: pack the paint against Giddey’s drives, rotate out to shooters with length, and trust Quinten Post, Trace Jackson-Davis, and Green (if he plays) to contest everything at the rim. Chicago loves to get up threes, but Golden State actually allows opponents to hit just 33.9% from deep, which plays into their scheme of chasing teams off the line and finishing possessions on the glass.
Offensively, it’s about ball movement and three-point volume. The Bulls are allowing nearly 123 points a night and give up a lot of quality looks; if the Warriors keep the ball popping, they should find open threes for Hield, Moody, and Podziemski all game. Pat Spencer’s growth as a downhill threat adds another dimension. His ability to get two feet in the paint and spray out to shooters was huge against the Cavs and will matter again tonight.
Even with Curry out and half the roster banged up, this is the type of matchup the Warriors have to capitalize on if they want to stay in the Western Conference playoff mix. The Bulls are bigger on the glass and playing at home, but they’re reeling defensively and struggling to close games. Golden State, on the other hand, is coming off its grittiest win of the season and finally has a little momentum.
As long as at least one of Jimmy Butler or Draymond Green suits up, expect the Warriors’ defense and three-point shooting to be just enough to extend Chicago’s skid. Call it Golden State by a couple of possessions in another grindy road win that keeps their season afloat.
