Tonight at 10:30 p.m. ET the Chicago Bulls (30-17) will head to Los Angeles to take on the Lakers (12-34) in a matchup on TNT of glamour franchises heading in opposite directions. Live stream the game free by clicking this link. Bulls fans can listen to the radio broadcast on ESPN 1000, while Lakers fans may do likewise on 710 ESPN.
Tonight's clash will mark big man Pau Gasol's first game back in L.A. against the Lakers since leaving for Chi-Town this offseason. The two sides have already met this year, but Gasol said returning to Staples Center against the team with which he won his first championship will be difficult.
"Obviously, it's an emotional game because you find yourself on the opposite side of the team that you played for for so many years," Gasol said. He won't be facing Kobe Bryant in this one, as he's expected to miss the rest of the year with a torn rotator cuff, but said the Black Mamba is "like a brother to me."
Gasol has been revitalized with the Bulls, averaging 18.3 points and 11.9 rebounds, as well as 2.2 blocks on the defensive end of the floor.
The Bulls' defense might have a party with Los Angeles' cratering offense, which has averaged less than 90 points a night in their last nine games-all losses. They are playing without Bryant, and are dealing with an ankle injury to shooting guard Nick Young, the team's top offensive option when Bryant isn't available.
In his stead, guard Wayne Ellington could be asked to pick up the slack. He hung a career-high 28 points on the Wizards his last time out, and said he plans on staying assertive offensively.
"I made up my mind I'm going to come out aggressive," Ellington said. "We are a team that needs to be hungry."
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