Memphis Grizzlies at Chicago Bulls | Preseason Game 2 | Friday, October 9, 2026 | 7:00 PM CT / 8:00 PM ET | United Center, Chicago | CHSN, NBA TV
I picked the Suns to win Wednesday’s preseason opener and the Bulls won 124-117. Please keep making me look bad. The first game of the Tiago Splitter era gave Chicago fans a lot to chew on: a rookie who scored 15 but struggled from deep, an undrafted big who grabbed 11 rebounds, and a defense that gave up 40 points in the first quarter.
Friday brings a much more interesting test. Memphis is in a full rebuild around Cameron Boozer, the No. 3 pick, and the Bulls will start Caleb Wilson, the No. 4 pick. A Duke-versus-North Carolina rivalry now plays out on the United Center floor. Here’s what I’m watching.
Game Info: Grizzlies at Bulls
- Date: Friday, October 9, 2026
- Tip-off: 7:00 PM CT / 8:00 PM ET
- Venue: United Center, Chicago
- TV: Chicago Sports Network and NBA TV, per Fubo’s listing; Memphis’s side lists DAZN, so check your local listings
- Preseason records: Bulls 1-0 (beat Phoenix 124-117); Grizzlies 1-1 (beat Atlanta 132-123, lost to Orlando 122-118)
- Odds: I couldn’t find a posted line, which is common for preseason games. Don’t read much into the market here anyway.
Wilson vs. Boozer Is the Headline
Boozer averaged 22.5 points and 10.2 rebounds at Duke and is already the face of Memphis’s post-Ja Morant era. He’s had two solid preseason games: 11 points on 55.6% shooting in 18 minutes in Atlanta, then 16 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists in 22 minutes against Orlando, including 2-for-3 from three. He said he dropped eight pounds this offseason, and the early film suggests better lateral movement on defense.
Wilson’s debut was more uneven. He scored 15 points on 6-of-16 shooting, 0-for-4 from three, and picked up five fouls, with Dillon Brooks and Miles Bridges both helping draw them. He called his own game “probably a B.” That tracks. He took the most shots on the team, which tells me Splitter wants him aggressive, and the fouling tells me he’s still learning NBA physicality. The question for Friday is whether he adjusts, because Memphis will test him the same way.
What the Bulls Learned on Wednesday
The good: Tobe Awaka, an undrafted two-way rookie, posted 14 points and 11 rebounds. Matas Buzelis had 14, mostly in the paint. Dailyn Swain had a rough start with turnovers but finished with 10 points, 6 assists and a +6. Norman Powell scored 14 points in just 14 minutes.
The worrying part: the defense. Phoenix scored 40 in the first quarter, Chicago lacks a consistent rim protector with Nic Claxton (hamstring) and Zach Collins (quadriceps) out, and the Bulls struggled to start their offense without a skilled ball-handler. Wilson and Buzelis combined to go 0-for-10 from three.
On that last point, Tre Jones missed the opener with a left hip injury and Splitter called him day-to-day, hoping he plays in the season opener. I couldn’t confirm whether he plays Friday, so check the injury report. Josh Giddey played 23 minutes and is the primary initiator, but he needs help.
The Grizzlies Are a Different Team Now
This is a real roster reset. Ja Morant went to Portland and Jaren Jackson Jr. to Utah, with Jerami Grant coming back in the Morant deal. Memphis finished 25-57 last season, and head coach Tuomas Iisalo is installing a new identity around Boozer, Cedric Coward, Zach Edey, Ty Jerome and a deep guard rotation. Jerome started at point guard against Atlanta and leads the team in assists.
The injury picture matters. Zach Edey, who hadn’t played in an NBA game since December 2025, logged only 10 minutes against Orlando (2 points, 4 rebounds) and Iisalo called him “obviously very rusty.” Isaiah Stewart left the Atlanta game with an ankle injury and was ruled out; I don’t have an update on his status for Friday. Without Edey and Stewart, Memphis struggled to protect the rim, and Orlando exploited that early, taking a 36-18 first-quarter lead at one point. That’s the same weakness Chicago has on defense, so I’m expecting a lot of points.
GG Jackson, who scored 15 against Orlando and 14 against Atlanta, is the surprise scorer, and Scotty Pippen Jr. and Cam Spencer have been good in the guard rotation.
The Matchups That Decide Tonight
Pace vs. rim protection. Splitter wants to run, and both teams have shaky interior defense. If Chicago pushes the ball after misses, Memphis’s thin frontcourt could be in trouble. If it doesn’t, Edey and a healthier Memphis rim presence get to set up.
Ball-handling. Memphis has six guards on its camp roster and a deep rotation. Chicago, short on a true point guard if Jones sits, will need Giddey and Swain to take care of the ball. Turnovers are how a team like this loses a preseason game.
Rest. This is Memphis’s third game in five days (October 5, 7 and 9), while Chicago is playing its second in three days. Preseason teams manage minutes closely, but travel and workload make the Grizzlies’ rotation a bit thinner than the Bulls’.
What Actually Decides It
I don’t think this will be a defensive clinic. It’ll be about who’s more efficient when the starters sit. The Bulls have a home crowd, a winning preseason debut and the youth to run. The Grizzlies have the better veteran guard group and a more polished rookie, but they’re short on rim protection.
Splitter is spending these games evaluating, not winning, but I’ll make a pick: Chicago’s pace and home court carry it in a game that looks more like a track meet.
My Final Score Prediction: Chicago Bulls 117, Memphis Grizzlies 113
The post Bulls vs. Grizzlies Prediction October 9th: Caleb Wilson Meets Cam Boozer, and Chicago’s Defense Has Homework appeared first on UrbanMatter.
