Five Things to Look out For as the Houston Rockets Take on the Chicago Bulls in Pre-Season Opener

Live NBA action returns tonight as the preseason for the 2020-21 season tips off. The Houston Rockets travel to the United Center as they go against the Chicago Bulls. It is the Bulls’ first game since March, since they didn’t qualify for the bubble. On the other hand, the Rockets are playing their first game since the playoff loss to the Lakers.

Let’s look at the top five things to watch out for in this exciting preseason game.

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John Wall is back!

After over 700 days and also a new team, John Wall is finally returning to action. He hasn’t played a minute since 2018 and will be the main player to keep an eye on. Fans will hope he can still be as athletic as he was, since his athleticism boosted his game. His role on the team will be huge for this game since James Harden is out. So he will be expected to lead the Rockets to a win.

Debut day for Patrick Williams

With the fourth overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the Bulls turned quite a few heads with their selection of Patrick Williams. They wanted to trade down and draft him, but were unable to do so. He comes in with a lot of expectations since the Bulls have had a small forward crisis for a few years. He might come off the bench, but he will be one to look out for in the game.

No more small-ball for the Houston Rockets?

Last season, the Rockets had P. J. Tucker run the center in their small-ball lineup. They now have Christian Wood to take over, however, he is only 6’10, which is shorter than most centers. Tucker will now move to power forward, so their lineup is still going to be short. Wood can also shoot from three, so he is the perfect addition for the Rockets.

New tactics for the Houston Rockets?

After years of playing iso ball and heavy three-point shooting, the Rockets are turning a new page under new coach Stephen Silas. Although he doesn’t have his best player at his disposal for the game, it will be interesting to see how the Rockets play.

Billy Donovan’s debut

For the past few years, the Bulls have been led down by their coaches. It has led to intra-organizational conflicts and eventually led to the sacking of the coach, Jim Boylen. New coach Billy Donovan comes in with a good reputation for his work with the Thunder, and the Bulls fans will be eager to see that in tonight’s game. Fans will hope he can get the best out of this young and promising team.

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