The 8 p.m. EDT curtain‑raiser at Chicago’s United Center pits a 1‑0 Bulls squad against a 1‑1 Grizzlies side that has already surrendered 122.5 points per game—five points more than the Bulls’ 117.0. In a preseason showcase where rotations are still in the oven, the Bulls will look to clamp down on Memphis’s perimeter play, while the Grizzlies test the Chicago backcourt with a defense that’s already been shown to struggle against volume.
Grizzlies head into the game with Micah Peavy and Isaiah Stewart gone, which opens a hole in their lineup that could tilt the scales in favor of the home‑court Bulls. With both teams still ironing out their early‑season form, the matchup offers a clear angle: can Chicago’s defensive tweaks keep the Grizzlies from reaching their offensive ceiling, or will the lack of key Grizzlies stars tip the balance? Make your pick and join the debate on StreakChat.