The Chicago Bulls play host to the New Orleans Pelicans at United Center on Friday evening.

The Bulls (1-0) started their season with a road win in Detroit on Wednesday. They started the contest a bit slow with only 14 points in the first quarter, but they were able to get back in the game and trailed by four points at halftime. They kept the momentum going in the third and poured in 31 points in the quarter to pull ahead with a two-point lead heading into the final frame. The game stayed tight down the stretch, but the Bulls were able to lock down on defense during crunch time, while Zach LaVine came up clutch at the foul line with six consecutive free throws to close it out. LaVine led the way with 34 points, seven rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block, in 35 minutes. New additions, DeMar DeRozan added 17 points, seven rebounds, three steals and two assists, while Lonzo Ball finished with 12 points, six rebounds, four assists and a block. The Bulls are set to make their home-court debut on Friday and with a solid win under their belt, they should have had a chance to shake off any early nerves. Coby White (shoulder) missed the opener and will remain out through Friday's action.

The Pelicans (0-1) are coming off a rough, 20-point home loss in their first game of the season, as they fell, 117-97, against the 76ers on Wednesday. The contest got out to a competitive start, but the Pelicans fell apart in the second half, where they were outscored, 64-44, resulting in the blowout loss. Brandon Ingram led the way for the Pelicans with 25 points, seven rebounds, six assists and a block, in 37 minutes. Nickeil Alexander-Walker followed up with 23 points, while Devonte' Graham was the only other player to score in double digits, with 18 points. Jonas Valanciunas had a rough night in his Pelicans' debut, with nine points on 3-of-19 shooting. Zion Williamson (foot) missed the contest and will remain out for the foreseeable future. Josh Hart (quad) is listed as questionable for action on Friday.