The Bulls fans from the 90s must feel odd living in modern times. Coldplay must be ringing in their ears, as they now sweep the same streets they used to rule 30 years ago. With a 21-28 W/L record, Billy Donovan will be looking to steady the ship in what has been murky waters this season. Their next challenge comes in the form of the Detroit Pistons, who sit 3 places above them in the East, on 7th.

Their shooting guard Zach LaVine has been a class apart this season. With 25 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and 4.5 APG, they should count all their lucky stars considering he’s coughed up even a 1% chance of them qualifying for the playoffs. 10th place is somehow lower than their sub-par standards, considering they qualified for the playoffs back in 2022. But he’s missed the last 2 games due to personal reasons, with reports stating that he’s chosen to support his wife in the wait for his new child.

Unfortunately for the Illinois team, New Leaf is likely to miss out the weekend clash as well. Can’t really blame him either, family comes first no matter what. But this leaves a gaping hole in their starting 5, and it’ll require a monumental effort from Da Bulls to get over the line against the Motor City Pistons.

Alongside Zach, Talen Horton-Tucker and Torrey Craig have had their names on the injury sheet with a leg and an ankle injury respectively. While Talen himself has been listed as ‘probable’, Mr. Craig is confirmed to be ruled out against the Michigan team.

Pistons vs Bulls: Predicted lineups

The Pistons have had a bit of a topsy-turvy season. Actually, more like a 50-50 season, winning and losing exactly 24 games each, putting them in 7th position on .500 pct. Although, their standout player has undoubtedly been their point guard Cade Cunningham. Fresh off a 40-pointer against the Mavs, they’ll be putting all their money on red, ’cause that’s exactly what they’ll be looking for against the Bulls, el matador style. But if they evade Motor Cade, they still got Jalen Duren to deal with, who’s coming into the game with a double-double (16 points and 13 rebounds) himself.

Their H2H over the last 3 years is a sight to see. Contrary to popular belief, the Windy City does have the upper hand against the Bad Boys, winning 5 of their last 7 games. But the games have been more hotly contested than the 2022 FIFA World Cup, with the cumulative score being 790-762. Usually they’d have Zach put in Messi-esque performances like it’s nobody’s business, but they gotta pull their socks up if they have any hopes of salvaging what they can from this season.

That being said, this is the Bulls predicted line-up in their battle against the Pistons:

With their star man Zach LaVine out for the forseeable future, the Bulls gotta bring their A-game at the Little Caesars. Their last few tastes of the Detroid hardwood has been as sweet as nectar, winning 6 of their last 8. But will Cade Cunningham and Co. prove to be seasoned matadors, or will they fire blanks against the terror of one of the most legendary teams in the Association’s history?