Talk about a marquee matchup!
One night after the Chicago Bulls were officially eliminated from postseason contention, the team is set to face off against the equally miserable Memphis Grizzlies. Previously in a tight tank race for the 8th spot in the lottery order, the Bulls threw away their chance at the spot in their first meeting with Memphis earlier this month. They instead opted to keep their postseason hopes alive and beat up on the banged-up squad, and it's helped the Grizzlies move even further up the lottery ladder.
As for Chicago, the question now is whether they will finally prioritize their positioning with the playoff dream dead. They still have a chance at seeing their odds shrink if the Milwaukee Bucks manage to lose more games down the stretch. Perhaps their long injury list – which includes essentially every one of their big men – suggests they are finally thinking a little more about draft day.
Nevertheless, the Bulls still project to have more serviceable talent on the floor for this evening. Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis are more than capable of carrying this team to victory tonight, and I do expect to see them do just that.
Prediction: The Chicago Bulls reach the 30-win mark
How to Watch
Who: Chicago Bulls (29-44) at Memphis Grizzlies (24-49)
Where: FedEx Forum
When: 7:00 PM CT
Watch: Chicago Sports Network
Projected Starting Lineups
Chicago Bulls
1. Josh Giddey
2. Tre Jones
3. Isaac Okoro
4. Matas Buzelis
5. Patrick Williams
Memphis Grizzlies
1. Javon Small
2. Cedric Coward
3. GG Jackson II
4. Oliver-Maxence Prosper
5. Taylor Hendricks
Injury Report
Chicago Bulls center Nick Richards
Mar 19, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls center Nick Richards (13) gestures after scoring against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images
The Chicago Bulls will have to play extremely small tonight. Both Nick Richards and Guerschon Yabusele will sit, while Jalen Smith was ruled out for the season earlier this week. With that being the case, expect to see A LOT of second round rookie Lachlan Olbrich tonight, as well as Patrick Williams potentially getting the start at the five.
Chicago Bulls
Nick Richards – OUT (elbow)
Guerschon Yabusele – OUT (ankle)
Anfernee Simons – OUT (wrist)
Jalen Smith – OUT FOR SEASON (calf)
Jaden Ivey – OUT FOR SEASON (knee)
Zach Collins – OUT FOR SEASON (wrist)
Noa Essengue – OUT FOR SEASON (shoulder)
Memphis Grizzlies
Walter Clayton Jr. – QUESTIONABLE (ankle)
Taylor Hendricks – QUESTIONABLE (thumb)
Jahmai Mashack – QUESTIONABLE (ankle)
Taj Gibson – DOUBTFUL (foot)
Cam Spencer – DOUBTFUL (back)
Ja Morant – OUT (elbow)
Scotty Pippen Jr. – OUT (toe)
Jaylen Wells – OUT (toe)
Santi Aldama – OUT (ankle)
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope – OUT (finger)
Brandon Clark – OUT (calf)
Zach Edey – OUT (ankle)
Ty Jerome – OUT (ankle)
Sign up to ourfree newsletterand follow us onXfor the latest news