Hawks vs. Bulls Preview: Bozolis Challenges Lissah – Who Will End the Losing Streak?

On July 20, the NBA Summer League continues with a match between the Hawks and the Bulls. The Hawks have been drawing attention since they signed the top pick Lissah in the draft, but unfortunately, they are yet to secure a win in the Summer League and are on a three-game losing streak. They lost 88-94 to the Wizards, 76-79 to the Spurs, and 86-87 to the Lakers.

In their game against the Wizards, the Hawks struggled with rebounding, shooting percentage, three-point shooting, and free throws. Lissah, who was highly anticipated, shot 7 for 16, 3 for 9 from three-point range, and 1 for 2 from the free-throw line, finishing with a team-high 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists. It wasn’t an outstanding performance, but as his debut, Lissah will need time to adjust. Gueye scored 17 points with 4 rebounds, while Windler contributed 12 points and 8 rebounds. Only four players scored in double digits, and overall, the Hawks were outplayed by the Wizards.

In their second game against the Spurs, Lissah again failed to deliver the expected performance. He started and played nearly half an hour, shooting 4 for 12, 1 for 7 from three-point range, and 2 for 5 from the free-throw line, scoring 11 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists, along with 1 turnover and 3 fouls. Liddell had a good game, coming off the bench to score 22 points and 5 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough. Despite having the top pick, this rookie’s overall performance was lacking, and they must prove themselves soon.

In their last game against the Lakers, which was supposed to be a showdown between Bronny and the top pick Lissah, Lissah sat out due to a rest day. Despite 17 points each from Beck and Jona off the bench, the Hawks couldn’t capitalize on the Lakers’ subpar performance and ended up losing.

The Bulls have a 1-2 record in the Summer League. After losing to the Pistons in their last game, they are on a two-game losing streak. Their 11th pick Bozolis has performed reasonably well, making it onto the list of standout rookies in the Summer League. In their first game, the Bulls beat the Bucks 96-89. Bozolis shot 4 for 15, scoring 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists. Phillips and Sanogo, along with Smart, each contributed 17 points, and the Bulls won with a strong team effort.

In their second game against the Warriors, who had Pojecki and TJD, the Bulls lost 82-92. Bozolis started, shooting 10 for 22 and 4 for 8 from three-point range, leading all scorers with 28 points and 5 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough. As a rookie, his performance was impressive. Sanogo scored 16 points and 8 rebounds, but the Bulls were outrebounded and outshot by the Warriors, so the loss is understandable. Bozolis’ performance is something to look forward to.

In their final game against the Pistons, four Bulls players scored in double digits. Bozolis shot 7 for 18, scoring a game-high 18 points and 3 rebounds. Phillips contributed 12 points and 7 rebounds, while Stewart scored 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists. Unfortunately, the Bulls lost 77-85, extending their losing streak.

Tomorrow’s matchup will focus on the top pick Lissah facing off against the 11th pick Bozolis. Who will end their losing streak? It will be interesting to see.

Here are the specific rosters for both teams in the Summer League:

Hawks: 0-Norris, 4-Bavcic, 7-Djurisic, 8-Bowden, 10-Lissah (top pick), 14-Joiner, 16-Matthews, 18-Mohamed Gueye, 19-Makhtar Gueye, 20-Windler, 22-Wallace, 31-Moses Wood, 32-Liddell, 34-Ongenda, 35-Beck

Bulls: 00-DJ Stewart, 14-Bozolis, 15-Phillips, 16-Javonte Smart, 18-Adeogun, 19-Siburun, 20-Tyler Thomas, 21-Sanogo, 22-Domask, 28-Knight, 30-Fink, 34-Garrison Brooks, 77-Drel

>>For more predictions about this game, click >>>