Utah (30 - 20)

Expert Pick
0% >< 0%

Chicago (35 - 15)

A Ball-Less Battle


Though GOTW will be missing a couple of the big names, the two teams facing off sit near the pinnacle of their respective Conferences. The Bulls have been one of the surprise risers this season after a brutal 2024 season and have been terrorising teams with their combination of inside-outside play and their excellent bench play. Though battling injuries the majority of the season, the Jazz have had a "No B.S" look about them and have just concluded a massive week 9 of trades that sent shockwaves through the NSL. Both teams will have stars out with names like LaMelo Ball, Joel Embiid and Franz Wagner on the sidelines, however the amount of talent that will still grace the court makes this a must-watch for Week 10. Siakam, Suggs, Sexton and Claxton will lead the way for the Bulls, while Harden, Daniels and the freshface Porzingis and Reaves will represent the away team. Expected Lineups: Chicago Bulls (home) C- Nicolas Claxton PF- Pascal Siakam SF- Hayward Highsmith SG- Colin Sexton PG- Jalen Suggs Bench: Goga Bitadze, Ty Jerome, Matas Buzelis Being without Ball is significant for the Bulls, however their excellent depth means they have great opportunity to insert a quality player who can fulfil the role to a high level. Suggs and Sexton will see an uptick in minutes with Ty Jerome more than capable to step in and start. The Bulls might attempt to slow the Jazz's star Harden by matching him up with defensive animal Suggs, meaning either Sexton or Jerome will start at SG. Siakam will be expected to be the number 1 option and will have a ton of opportunity with the playmaking set-up around him. Utah Jazz (away) C- Jaylin Williams PF- Kristaps Porzingis SF- Dyson Daniels SG- Austin Reaves PG- James Harden Bench: Isaiah Joe, Precious Achiuwa, Eric Gordon This week will be a play around at the controls for GM Jase. He has a bunch of new pieces that he has to balance around a super capable pair in Harden and Daniels. The Jazz will want to have a good look at Porzingis and Reaves and working out where to play Reaves to optimise his performance might take a week or two, especially with players returning soon. Gordon is an underrated piece off the bench who is getting burn in the NBA at present, so their firepower will be hard to overcome. The Harden-Uni pick and roll will be fascinating to watch.

Though GOTW will be missing a couple of the big names, the two teams facing off sit near the pinnacle of their respective Conferences. The Bulls have been one of the surprise risers this season after a brutal 2024 season and have been terrorising teams with their combination of inside-outside play and their excellent bench play. Though battling injuries the majority of the season, the Jazz have had a "No B.S" look about them and have just concluded a massive week 9 of trades that sent shockwaves through the NSL.

Both teams will have stars out with names like LaMelo Ball, Joel Embiid and Franz Wagner on the sidelines, however the amount of talent that will still grace the court makes this a must-watch for Week 10. Siakam, Suggs, Sexton and Claxton will lead the way for the Bulls, while Harden, Daniels and the freshface Porzingis and Reaves will represent the away team.

Expected Lineups:

Chicago Bulls (home)
C- Nicolas Claxton
PF- Pascal Siakam
SF- Hayward Highsmith
SG- Colin Sexton
PG- Jalen Suggs
Bench: Goga Bitadze, Ty Jerome, Matas Buzelis

Being without Ball is significant for the Bulls, however their excellent depth means they have great opportunity to insert a quality player who can fulfil the role to a high level. Suggs and Sexton will see an uptick in minutes with Ty Jerome more than capable to step in and start. The Bulls might attempt to slow the Jazz's star Harden by matching him up with defensive animal Suggs, meaning either Sexton or Jerome will start at SG. Siakam will be expected to be the number 1 option and will have a ton of opportunity with the playmaking set-up around him.

Utah Jazz (away)
C- Jaylin Williams
PF- Kristaps Porzingis
SF- Dyson Daniels
SG- Austin Reaves
PG- James Harden
Bench: Isaiah Joe, Precious Achiuwa, Eric Gordon

This week will be a play around at the controls for GM Jase. He has a bunch of new pieces that he has to balance around a super capable pair in Harden and Daniels. The Jazz will want to have a good look at Porzingis and Reaves and working out where to play Reaves to optimise his performance might take a week or two, especially with players returning soon. Gordon is an underrated piece off the bench who is getting burn in the NBA at present, so their firepower will be hard to overcome. The Harden-Uni pick and roll will be fascinating to watch.

Jazz Star

Kristaps Porzingis
The newly acquired Unicorn, Kristaps Porzingis, has been the prototypical PF in years past. With his combitation of length, rim protection, rebounding and shooting he has been a serious glitch.

This engine doesn't seem to be as favourable to big men and it once again seems to be a guard engine, to add to that foul trouble seems to follow big men defending undersized opponents so it will be interesting to see whether Uni hits his glitch potential this season.

I loved the acquisition of him by the Jazz and wonder what a team will look like trying to cool off both Embiid and Uni with a stable of stars surrounding them. Daunting.

This week is made for Kristaps, he should be the 2nd option behind Harden and will get a chance to go to work inside and out on a decent defender in either Siakam or Clax.

I'd expect Unit to come away with a 20+ point game, however the effort he will need to exert on the defensive end guarding Clax and Pascal makes him the most important player for the Jazz this week.

PPG 18.9

RPG 7.8

APG 1.3

SPG 0.7

BPG 2.1

FPG 1.8

TPG 0.9

PPG 20.5

RPG 7.1

APG 3.2

SPG 0.9

BPG 0.5

FPG 1.7

TPG 1.3

Bulls Star

Pascal Siakam
Siakam vs Uni will be a fascinating match-up. Siakam makes up for his lack of size with brute strength and will almost certainly have to fight on the offensive end to get clean looks.

He will have 2 great playmakers on the floor at any given time, meaning if he works hard off the ball there will be shots for him.

Usually Ball is the offence in Chicago, though Siakam has averaged 20ppg playing second fiddle to the dynamic guard.

If Siakam can find 30 points, the Bulls will be a huge chance in this game.

X-Factor
Team Balance Both of these teams have shown perfect balance which has seen them surge to the top of their Conferences to start the season. They both have the right blend of scoring, defence and complimentary role players which has seen the win column tick over through injuries and adversity. Depth appears to be one of the biggest keys to success in this season of 2k. The team who succeeds in this match-up will be the one with the best balance which will 100% come at the controls. For Utah it might be a bit tricky to strike perfect balance as they have multiple new-arrivals who are key players. If they can find balance right off the bat, it will show the league just how good GM Jase is at understanding the game and his team. Usually blockbuster trades take a few weeks to work out with what you currently have in your roster and little tricks are learned as you go. The Bulls have been arguable one of the best balanced teams throughout the season. Ball out is big however there are 3 good guards to step in a fulfill the role this week which should make things pur along as usual. I believe Utah have more talent, but GM Jonathon has the better understanding of what he has at his disposal at current. It will be a matter of Star Power Vs Team Balance.

X-Factor

Team Balance

Both of these teams have shown perfect balance which has seen them surge to the top of their Conferences to start the season. They both have the right blend of scoring, defence and complimentary role players which has seen the win column tick over through injuries and adversity. Depth appears to be one of the biggest keys to success in this season of 2k.

The team who succeeds in this match-up will be the one with the best balance which will 100% come at the controls. For Utah it might be a bit tricky to strike perfect balance as they have multiple new-arrivals who are key players. If they can find balance right off the bat, it will show the league just how good GM Jase is at understanding the game and his team. Usually blockbuster trades take a few weeks to work out with what you currently have in your roster and little tricks are learned as you go.

The Bulls have been arguable one of the best balanced teams throughout the season. Ball out is big however there are 3 good guards to step in a fulfill the role this week which should make things pur along as usual. I believe Utah have more talent, but GM Jonathon has the better understanding of what he has at his disposal at current.

It will be a matter of Star Power Vs Team Balance.

Injury Report
Injured Players: LaMelo Ball (Calf/Injury Management/Ankle/Wrist) - 13 NBA Games missed this season G.G. Jackson (Foot) - 41 NBA Games missed this season Returning Players: Larry Nance Jr. (returning from Hand) - 15 NBA Games missed this season Goga Bitadze (returning from Foot/Ankle/Back) - 11 NBA Games missed this season Jalen Suggs (returning from Hamstring/Ankle/Back/Quad) - 14 NBA Games missed this season	Injured Players: Joel Embiid (Knee/Injury Management/Face/Foot) - 31 NBA Games missed this season Vlatko Cancar (Ankle/Knee) - 40 NBA Games missed this season Matisse Thybulle (Knee/Ankle) - 48 NBA Games missed this season Dru Smith (Knee/Achilles) - 21 NBA Games missed this season Franz Wagner (Oblique) - 20 NBA Games missed this season Returning Players: Eric Gordon (returning from Mouth) - 4 NBA Games missed this season Kristaps Porzingis (returning from Foot/Leg/Ankle/Injury Management/Illness) - 25 NBA Games missed this season Isaiah Joe (returning from Calf/Illness) - 4 NBA Games missed this season

Injury Report

Injured Players:
LaMelo Ball (Calf/Injury Management/Ankle/Wrist) - 13 NBA Games missed this season
G.G. Jackson (Foot) - 41 NBA Games missed this season

Returning Players:
Larry Nance Jr. (returning from Hand) - 15 NBA Games missed this season
Goga Bitadze (returning from Foot/Ankle/Back) - 11 NBA Games missed this season
Jalen Suggs (returning from Hamstring/Ankle/Back/Quad) - 14 NBA Games missed this season

Injured Players:
Joel Embiid (Knee/Injury Management/Face/Foot) - 31 NBA Games missed this season
Vlatko Cancar (Ankle/Knee) - 40 NBA Games missed this season
Matisse Thybulle (Knee/Ankle) - 48 NBA Games missed this season
Dru Smith (Knee/Achilles) - 21 NBA Games missed this season
Franz Wagner (Oblique) - 20 NBA Games missed this season

Returning Players:
Eric Gordon (returning from Mouth) - 4 NBA Games missed this season
Kristaps Porzingis (returning from Foot/Leg/Ankle/Injury Management/Illness) - 25 NBA Games missed this season
Isaiah Joe (returning from Calf/Illness) - 4 NBA Games missed this season

Prediction
Chicago have a few things going for them in this one, team balance being at the top of their list with homecourt as an added sweetener. The Jazz have pure star power that has just arrived fresh off the plane. This game is going to be an arm wrestle, no doubt about it. It will be a close finish with the winner prevailing by under double digits. Prediction: Utah Jazz 108 defeat Chicago Bulls 104. Player of the Game James Harden 26 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assists Notable Performances Pascal Siakam 22 points, 10 rebounds, 3 steals Kristaps Porzingis 21 points, 14 rebounds, 3 blocks Good luck to both GMs in what will be an exciting test run for the Jazz and another good challenge to the Bulls.

Prediction

Chicago have a few things going for them in this one, team balance being at the top of their list with homecourt as an added sweetener. The Jazz have pure star power that has just arrived fresh off the plane.

This game is going to be an arm wrestle, no doubt about it. It will be a close finish with the winner prevailing by under double digits.

Prediction:
Utah Jazz 108 defeat Chicago Bulls 104.
Player of the Game
James Harden 26 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assists
Notable Performances
Pascal Siakam 22 points, 10 rebounds, 3 steals
Kristaps Porzingis 21 points, 14 rebounds, 3 blocks

Good luck to both GMs in what will be an exciting test run for the Jazz and another good challenge to the Bulls.

	MIL	93
	PHI	89

	POR	100
	PHO	113

	MEM	109
	CHA	107

	MIL	109
	MIN	104

	SAC	108
	LAC	120