The Spurs return home riding a 9-1 stretch as Victor Wembanyama and San Antonio prepare to face a Bulls team desperate to end a three-game skid.
The San Antonio Spurs look like one of the NBA’s hottest teams heading into Monday night, and the Chicago Bulls are walking into a tough spot.
San Antonio enters the matchup at 56-18 and second in the Western Conference, while Chicago arrives at 29-45, trying to snap a three-game losing streak and salvage something from a rough road season.
Spurs (56-18, 28-7 Home) vs. Bulls (29-45, 11-24 Road) may not look even on paper, but it still carries intrigue because of the offensive firepower on both sides.
San Antonio has been rolling at home, posting a 28-7 record in its own building while averaging 119.4 points per game this season.
Over the last 10 games, that number has climbed to 124.3, which helps explain why the Spurs have gone 9-1 during that stretch.
Victor Wembanyama remains the centerpiece of everything San Antonio does. The star big man is averaging 24.2 points, 11.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game, and he already punished Chicago once this season with a 38-point performance in a 121-117 Spurs win back in November.
De’Aaron Fox has also given San Antonio another steady scoring option lately, averaging 16.5 points over his last 10 games while shooting 50 percent from the floor.
Chicago can score, too, which is what gives the Bulls at least a puncher’s chance.
The Bulls are putting up 116.4 points per game, and over their last 10 outings, they’ve actually averaged 122.5. Matas Buzelis has been a bright spot, producing 16.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.
Tre Jones has also been on a strong run, averaging 17.4 points over the last 10 games while shooting an efficient 56.5 percent.
The problem for Chicago is defense. The Bulls are allowing 121.0 points per game, one of the biggest reasons their road record has fallen to 11-25 and why they’ve dropped seven of their last 10.
If the Bulls are going to steal this one, they’ll need a cleaner defensive effort than they’ve shown lately. Otherwise, San Antonio’s pace, depth and star power could turn this into another long night for Chicago.
The Spurs and Bulls tip off at 7 p.m. CT on Monday night inside Frost Bank Center in San Antonio.
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