Times are tense for the Los Angeles Lakers. A Yahoo! Sports story on Monday suggested that the Lakers might fire head coach Luke Walton if the team can’t beat the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday. Normally, beating a Bulls team that’s lost seven in a row and has just 10 wins should be a given. However, the Lakers have been a mess of late and are fresh off a humiliating loss. On Sunday, they fell at home to the worst team in the Eastern Conference, the Cleveland Cavaliers. Add in a recent loss at home to the Knicks and Walton might be a goner if the Lakers lose to another one of the league’s worst teams.

NBA Point Spread and Betting Analysis

Almost all of the stats are ugly for the Bulls. They have lost eight straight and they are 5-16 straight up on the road. Chicago is 3-7 against the spread (ATS) in their last 10 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game and 3-11-1 ATS in the last 15 against teams from the NBA Pacific Division. The Bulls are 1-4 ATS in their last five games against the Western Conference.

The Lakers are 14-9 straight up at home but have covered in just nine of those games. They are 4-10 ATS in non-conference games and 7-16 ATS when facing a team with a losing record. That’s ugly.

Chicago Bulls

The Bulls have lost each of their last seven, giving up at least 117 points in four of those games. This team has a listless defence which cannot stop anybody. Although they allow 111.0 points per game on the season (17^th), they’ve allowed an average of 126.7 in their last three. That includes a beat down at the hands of the Golden State Warriors, who scored 146 points against this team.

The Bulls have looked utterly lost since coach Jim Boylen took over the team from recently fired head coach Fred Hoiberg. The players don’t like his style and have had run-ins with him. Oddly enough, though the front office just gave Boylen an extension and a raise. The team is just 5-14 under Boylen.

Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers are without LeBron James right now but they can’t pin all of their issues on his absence. They were 17-10 at one point this season and are just 6-13 since. He’s been out since Christmas Day but the Lakers decline started while he was still there. More recently, this team has dropped five of their last seven and seven of 10.

The Lakers offence has completely disappeared without James in the lineup as they’re averaging just 107.3 points per game over their last 15 contests (23^rd in the NBA). That’s a huge dip from the 121.0 they averaged in October (third in the NBA).

The concern is that this is a really disjointed roster and players aren’t developing. Kyle Kuzma is playing great but Lonzo Ball is contributing just 9.4 points per game while shooting 36.2% from the field this month. JaVale McGee averaged 15.5 points per game in October but is down to just 8.4 in January. And Brandon Ingram is still a bit inconsistent as he’s scored 17 or more four times this month but scored 15 or less in the other three games. Add in that Josh Hart has just 17 points in total in the last three games and a lot of the fingers start pointing towards Walton that he can’t develop the young players on this roster. The good news is that the Bulls are a bigger mess and the Lakers should take care of business in this spot.

Injuries

Chicago

Shaquille Harrison (PG)

Prob Wed Ankle - 10 / 04 / 19

Shaquille Harrison (PG)

Prob Tues Ankle - 09 / 04 / 19

Wayne Selden (SG)

Prob Sat Knee - 05 / 04 / 19

Shaquille Harrison (PG)

Prob Wed Shoulder - 02 / 04 / 19

Kris Dunn (PG)

Out indefinitely Back - 24 / 03 / 19

Kris Dunn (PG)

Prob Sat Back - 22 / 03 / 19

Zach LaVine (PG)

Out indefinitely Thigh - 19 / 03 / 19

Otto Porter Jr. (SF)

Out indefinitely Shoulder - 18 / 03 / 19

Ryan Arcidiacono (PG)

Prob Sun Head - 16 / 03 / 19

Otto Porter Jr. (SF)

Prob Fri Knee - 13 / 03 / 19

L.A. Lakers

Lance Stephenson (SG)

Ques Tues Foot - 09 / 04 / 19

Rajon Rondo (PG)

Out Tues Rest - 08 / 04 / 19

Tyson Chandler (C)

Out Tues Rest - 08 / 04 / 19

Reggie Bullock (SG)

Ques Tues Neck - 04 / 04 / 19

Reggie Bullock (SG)

Prob Tues Foot - 01 / 04 / 19

Tyson Chandler (C)

Ques Tues Flu - 26 / 03 / 19

Reggie Bullock (SG)

Prob Sun Foot - 24 / 03 / 19

Mike Muscala (PF)

Prob Fri Ankle - 22 / 03 / 19

Josh Hart (SG)

out for season Knee - 21 / 03 / 19

Josh Hart (SG)

Prob Tues Knee - 18 / 03 / 19

Injuries

Chicago

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Shaquille Harrison (PG)	Prob Wed	Ankle - 10 / 04 / 19	0-1	0-1	+ -
Harrison is expected to play against the 76ers on Wednesday despite dealing with a left ankle sprain.
Shaquille Harrison (PG)	Prob Tues	Ankle - 09 / 04 / 19	0-2	0-2	+ -
Harrison is expected to take the court Tuesday against the Knicks despite a left ankle sprain.
Wayne Selden (SG)	Prob Sat	Knee - 05 / 04 / 19	1-2	1-2	+ -
Selden is dealing with a left knee issue but will likely be available against the 76ers on Saturday.
Shaquille Harrison (PG)	Prob Wed	Shoulder - 02 / 04 / 19	1-3	2-2	+ -
Harrison is projected to be in Wednesday's lineup versus the Wizards despite a left shoulder strain.
Kris Dunn (PG)	Out indefinitely	Back - 24 / 03 / 19	2-6	3-4-1	+ -
Dunn has been absent from the lineup with a mid-back strain and it is unknown when he will return to the court.
Kris Dunn (PG)	Prob Sat	Back - 22 / 03 / 19	3-6	4-4-1	+ -
Dunn is dealing with a back injury but will play against the Jazz on Saturday.
Zach LaVine (PG)	Out indefinitely	Thigh - 19 / 03 / 19	4-7	5-5-1	+ -
LaVine has been held out of the lineup with a right thigh contusion and patellar tendinitis in his right knee. There is no timetable for return.
Otto Porter Jr. (SF)	Out indefinitely	Shoulder - 18 / 03 / 19	4-7	5-5-1	+ -
Porter Jr. is sidelined due to a right rotator cuff strain and it is unknown when he will return to the lineup.
Ryan Arcidiacono (PG)	Prob Sun	Head - 16 / 03 / 19	5-8	7-5-1	+ -
Arcidiacono left the last game with a head injury but is expected to play in Sunday's matchup against the Kings.
Otto Porter Jr. (SF)	Prob Fri	Knee - 13 / 03 / 19	5-8	7-5-1	+ -
Porter Jr. sustained a left knee contusion in the last game but it is expected he will play against the Clippers on Friday.

L.A. Lakers

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Lance Stephenson (SG)	Ques Tues	Foot - 09 / 04 / 19	1-0	1-0	+ -
Stephenson is battling a sore left foot and it is unclear if he will play against the Trail Blazers on Tuesday.
Rajon Rondo (PG)	Out Tues	Rest - 08 / 04 / 19	2-0	2-0	+ -
Rondo will not participate in Tuesday's game against the Trail Blazers as he is to be rested.
Tyson Chandler (C)	Out Tues	Rest - 08 / 04 / 19	2-0	2-0	+ -
Chandler will not play against the Trail Blazers on Tuesday due to a day of rest.
Reggie Bullock (SG)	Ques Tues	Neck - 04 / 04 / 19	2-2	2-2	+ -
Bullock has missed the previous three games with neck stiffness and has an unclear status Tuesday against the Trail Blazers.
Reggie Bullock (SG)	Prob Tues	Foot - 01 / 04 / 19	3-2	3-2	+ -
Bullock is expected to suit up against the Thunder on Tuesday despite a plantar fasciitis in his right foot.
Tyson Chandler (C)	Ques Tues	Flu - 26 / 03 / 19	7-2	4-5	+ -
Chandler has been idle due to flu-like symptoms and it is unclear if he will return against the Trail Blazers on Tuesday.
Reggie Bullock (SG)	Prob Sun	Foot - 24 / 03 / 19	7-3	4-6	+ -
Bullock has been held out of the previous four games with plantar fasciitis in his right foot but is expected to be available for Sunday's game against the Pelicans.
Mike Muscala (PF)	Prob Fri	Ankle - 22 / 03 / 19	7-4	4-7	+ -
Muscala has missed the past four games due to tibialis posterior tendonitis in his right ankle but is likely to return Friday against the Hornets.
Josh Hart (SG)	out for season	Knee - 21 / 03 / 19	7-4	4-7	+ -
Hart is recovering from a procedure on his right patellar tendon. He will miss the remainder of the 2018-19 season.
Josh Hart (SG)	Prob Tues	Knee - 18 / 03 / 19	7-5	5-7	+ -
Hart is battling right knee tendinitis but is projected to face the Bucks on Tuesday.

Bulls vs. Lakers Prediction