Thunder vs Bulls preview: Can OKC win 3 in a row and sweep season series over Chicago?

The Oklahoma City Thunder are back in business and looking to start their first three game winning streak of the season against the Chicago Bulls. Luckily, for the Thunder, Chicago is in rebuild mode and aren’t quite as physical as the playoff contention teams in the Western Conference.

• Chicago Bulls (2-9) V Oklahoma City Thunder (6-7)
• Game time: 8PM EST
• Location: Chesapeake Energy Arena

OKC played the Bulls earlier on the season and dismantled them in the United Center, coming out with a 101-69 victory. The dynamic duo of Carmelo Anthony and Paul George helped drain the Bulls on that day by combine of 41 points.

Lately, OKC have been playing their best basketball all season because of the resurgence of George. In the last two games, George averaged 39.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, and shooting over 50 percent.

The Bulls also have a player that’s been tearing things up lately, Bobby Portis. The three-year man out of Arkansas, who was suspended in the beginning of the season for punching his teammate Nikola Mirotic is back in the lineup. In three games, Portis is averaging 19.3 points while shooting 48.8 percent from the field and 50 percent from the three. Not only is Portis is shooting great, but he’s having a career year in rebounds per game (10).

Bulls Stats: 30th in points scored (94)

• 30th in field goal percentage (40.9 percent)
• 29th in three-point percentage (31.8 percent)
• 7th in total rebounds (45.7)
• 11th in assist/turnover ratio (1.5)

Thunder Stats:

• 18th in points scored (104)
• 18th in field goal percentage (45.0 percent)
• 17th in three-point percentage (35.7 percent)
• 22nd in total rebounds (45.7)
• 11th in assist/turnover ratio (1.5)

The Thunder are having problems on second chance points and rebounding the ball. However, everything other than rebounding, OKC has a huge advantage over the Bulls.

What To Watch

Since the season started, OKC never have had all cylinders firing with the big three. Even though all three averaging over 20 points, there wasn’t one game where the big three played fantastically all at the same time. It’s either George cold and Melo hot or Melo cold and George hot, or George and Melo cold, Westbrook hot. In a way that’s great because your teammates suppose to pick you up off bad nights. However, if they want to compete with the big teams like the Rockets and Warriors, they need all cylinders to click when it matters.

Can the Thunder big three have a breakout game together?