The Chicago Bulls will take on the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors on Friday night, but they’ll avoid two of the team’s biggest stars in the process.
According to the Warriors, star forward Kevin Durant, who is averaging 24.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, will miss the game because of a sprained ankle. Durant did miss last Sunday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets, but he played on Wednesday as he scored 21 points in a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Durant won’t be the only Warriors star sidelined against the Bulls, as forward Draymond Green will get an off-day from head coach Steve Kerr. Green is averaging 10 points and 7.4 rebounds per game this season, and with the Warriors heading into a stretch of three games in four days, Kerr is looking to get the big man a breather.
The Bulls have lost eight of their last nine games, including their last three on their current Western road trip. Friday’s game will be the last game of the trip before they head back to Chicago to take on the Miami Heat and Phoenix Suns early next week.
Rookie forward Lauri Markkanen is expected to play despite a bug that has been hampering him in recent games, as he’s been just 5-for-26 from the field in losses to the Lakers and Jazz.
