Who: New Orleans Pelicans vs. Chicago Bulls
When: Wednesday, Jan. 8, 8:00 p.m ET
Where: Smoothie King Center
How to watch: Fox Sports New Orleans
After a brutal stretch of games against playoff foes, the Pelicans will be afforded a golden opportunity over the coming week. Starting on Wednesday, the Pelicans will have a string of games against non-playoff foes beginning with the Bulls.
In Chicago, New Orleans will have a foe that is has a top ten defense and a bottom three offense, resulting in a net rating of -1.5 that ranks them 17th overall. Chicago has lost its last four games and five of its last six, the lone win coming against an equally lowly Atlanta side.
The Bulls are weighed by their offense inside the three-point line. The team ranks 30th in field goal percentage at the rim, 30th in short mid-range jumpers, 29th in long mid-range jumpers and 30th overall in all mid-range jumpers. Even Chicago’s three-point shooting is simply mediocre as they rank 15th in three-point percentage.
However, the Bulls’ offensive struggles can be summed up in the fact they rank third in the league in frequency of shots at the rim. It’s an odd combination that plays into the Pelicans’ favor as they allow the fourth-most attempts at the rim.
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