How Lauri Markkanen and Zach LaVine will continue to honor Kobe Bryant

INDIANAPOLIS — When Lauri Markkanen came to the Bulls, Nikola Mirotic wore No. 44. Markkanen thus couldn’t use the number that his father wore at Kansas.

So, in a nod to his days growing up as a guard, he picked No. 24 because he loved Kobe Bryant.

Some players throughout the league are now changing their numbers from No. 24 and No. 8 to honor Bryant, who had both retired by the Lakers before his tragic death on Sunday. But Markkanen and Zach LaVine, who wears No. 8, are keeping theirs.

“You can’t really go wrong with either decision,” Markkanen said. “I didn’t feel any pressure. It’s our decision. I feel like you can honor him either way, by retiring it or still keep his number alive. That’s just the route I took. Hopefully, everybody can respect everybody’s opinion.”

Markkanen acknowledged he and LaVine discussed the matter. LaVine was busy warming up before Wednesday’s Bulls-Pacers game and, according to a team official, would offer context for his decision postgame.

“Now it has deeper meaning,” Markkanen said of his No. 24.

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The Bulls are playing for Zach LaVine's All-Star candidacy and more vs. Pacers

The Bulls look to clinch their first three-game win streak since February 2019 against the Pacers in Indiana, and Victor Oladipo is back. The game tips at 6 p.m. CT on NBC Sports Chicago — until then, here's what to watch for:

Pacers' last five games (3-2)

• Jan. 26 — L at Trail Blazers: 139-129
• Jan. 24 — W at Warriors: 129-118
• Jan. 22 — W at Suns: 112-87
• Jan. 20 — L at Jazz; 118-88
• Jan. 19 — W at Nuggets: 115-107

Victory Oladipo returns

It's the defining storyline entering play: After missing the latter 35 games of the 2018-19 season and first 47 games of this one with a ruptured quad tendon, Victor Oladipo makes his season debut tonight.

According to Scott Agness of The Athletic, Oladipo will operate on a minutes restriction and come off the bench against the Bulls, with the minutes restriction lasting through the All-Star break. So don't expect anything earth-shattering. Still, he has the potential to pack a scoring punch off the pine and the home Indiana crowd — along with Oladipo's teammates — should get a boost from his highly anticipated return (along with a return home for the team after a five-game road swing).

But, as has been the case in these teams' past two matchups, the Pacers are a tad fraught with injuries at the moment: Malcolm Brogdon (concussion) had been listed as questionable, but will start, and Myles Turner (illness) is inactive. On Nov. 3, the Pacers knocked off the Bulls 108-95 in Indiana without Oladipo, Turner or Domantas Sabonis; then, in Chicago on Jan. 10, the Pacers prevailed 116-105 without Oladipo, Sabonis or Brogdon. For their part, the Bulls will be without Lauri Markkanen, Wendell Carter Jr., Daniel Gafford and Otto Porter Jr. tonight...

Frontcourt wars

... Which brings me to my next point. The Bulls have been without Carter — their starting center and defensive anchor — since Jan. 6, and their aforementioned Jan. 10 date with the Pacers shined a glaring light on how much Carter matters to this team's success.

How, you ask? In that game, the Pacers outscored the Bulls 70-36 in the paint, shooting a dizzying 26-for-31 in the restricted area. Turner had 27 points and 14 rebounds. As a team, the Pacers won the boards 47-40 and scored 12 second-chance points. And the Bulls still had Markkanen and Gafford at that point.

Turner sitting increases the Bulls' odds of leveling those disparities, but they'll have their hands full with Sabonis (who hasn't played in either of these teams' previous two meetups), regardless. Sabonis is averaging 18.1 points, 12.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists (53.7% shooting) per game in this, a breakout season, and is exactly the type of player that gives the Bulls fits.

Fortunately for the Bulls, Thad Young has picked up his play substantially of late, averaging 11.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals on 54.5% shooting (39.3% from 3-point range) in his last nine games. He'll likely draw the Sabonis assignment and, the way he's going, could find an edge against his old team.

All-Star watch

If Young can neutralize Sabonis, he would help out teammate Zach LaVine, as well as the team at large. All-Star reserves, after all, are set to be announced Thursday, and LaVine and Sabonis are both jockeying for position. 

As I wrote about at length earlier this week, Sabonis has the upper hand in that 'game-within-the-game' for now, but LaVine's January line of 29.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game (47.3% shooting; 36.7% from 3-point range) is extremely compelling. Though it was a game that ended in defeat, LaVine torched the Pacers for 43 points (29 in the second half) and canned 8 of 13 3-pointers on Jan. 10. A big night for him in his last chance to prove himself to Eastern Conference coaches is far from out of the realm of possibility. 

Playoffs?

But, as a team, the Bulls are playing for more than LaVine's All-Star candidacy.

Since that Jan. 10 Indiana loss sank the Bulls to 13-26, they're 6-4 in their last 10 games, and have moved into an improved position in the race for a playoff spot in the East. As of this writing, the Bulls sit two games back of the Brooklyn Nets (3-10 in January) for the eighth seed and 2.5 behind the Orlando Magic (losers of four straight) for the seventh spot. Both the Magic and Nets have games in hand, but the Bulls being within shouting distance is signficant, given the recent rash of injuries that has swept over the team.

A win tonight would mark the Bulls' second in 20 tries against teams with records at or above .500 at time of contest. And it would be the Bulls' third consecutive win — the first time they've accomplished that feat since February 2019.