Lakers are struggling, but Bulls are on the rise

Boh Suh, Staff Writer

The NBA season started a few days ago, and another fun journey began. This season is another unusual one because of the COVID-19 pandemic, as some players are not allowed to play unless they get vaccinated.  

Also, having COVID-19 would make a player sit out for multiple days, which makes it more challenging for the NBA coaches to set their lineup. 

I know it is just one week (about three games), but it is always a surprise to see the teams’ record. What really got my attention is the Los Angeles Lakers. The addition of Russell Westbrook, Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony, Rajon Rondo, and others brought the Lakers as another strong contender for this year.  

However, maybe it is too much talent on one team. The Lakers lost the first two home games and finally won against the Memphis Grizzlies. There is also a video of having some conflicts between Anthony Davis, a power forward for the Lakers and Dwight Howard, a center for the Lakers. It could be a heat of moment situation, but if the Lakers keep struggling, team chemistry may be something the media points to as an issue.  

Despite the 1-2 record, I still think that this is the Laker’s year. 

On the other hand, the Chicago Bulls are currently 3-0 along with Charlotte Hornets, both are teams that finished under .500 record last year. Currently, Zach LaVine is leading the Bulls with 26.7 points a game followed by DeMar DeRozan (21.3), Lonzo Ball (14.0), and Nikola Vucevic (13.3).  

Last year, they had Lavine and Vucevic leading the team in scoring, and the addition of DeRozan and Ball makes the starting lineup better. Will this year’s Bulls team bring the glory days of the Bulls by Michael Jordan?  We’ll have to wait and see.