Before heading off to a long road trip to the East without LeBron James, the Los Angeles Lakers meet with the Chicago Bulls in what’s predicted to be a gripping matchup. Both teams are entering this game after winning their previous games, which means there is some momentum on both ends.

But all the competition aside, fans couldn’t help but give former Lakers’ Alex Caruso a warm welcome during his first return to Staples Center. In fact, LeBron James couldn’t help himself either and took the opportunity to greet him as well.

LeBron James and Alex Caruso’s heartwarming moment

Just like for the Lakers, the offseason was quite a hit for the Chicago Bulls. They were able to add some serious talent to the roster which made everyone think that they might be able to at least clinch a playoff berth this season. However, they have been doing far more than that. From the get-go, they have proved to be a team that can go up against the most elite of teams and put up an incredible fight.

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Of course, their offensive star power, Nikola Vucevic, DeMar DeRozan, and Zach LaVine deserve the credit for it. But the underestimated part has been their defense, as Alex Caruso and Lonzo Ball have been holding the fort very well on that end.

The Bulls are currently standing third in the Eastern Conference with a 9-4 record. However, the Lakers are at an 8-6 record, trying to keep their head above water without LeBron James.

But even though he hasn’t been playing, he has shown up on the bench to guide and support his teammates in all games. And with his former teammate being his opponent for this one, he had to give him a warm welcome, which he did with a tight hug after his tribute.

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Do the Lakers have it in them to defeat the Chicago Bulls?

The Los Angeles Lakers were able to defeat the Spurs thanks to Anthony Davis’ 34 points and 15 rebounds. His support system, Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony also worked hard to get the job done, and Talen Horton-Tucker’s presence on the defense also worked in their favor.

However, let’s not forget that the Spurs aren’t even close to the Bulls’ dominance at the moment. And the purple and gold had to pull out the big guns to defeat them. Just imagine what it would take to get past Chicago with a victory. With the first quarter over, the Bulls kept the lead throughout and are ahead by 8 points.

Although unlikely, it isn’t impossible for the Lakers to win. If they don’t lose their grip and continue to rally back, there is a chance. If not, the Bulls are going to snatch this up from them.

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