Game: Atlanta Hawks @ Chicago Bulls
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Odds: Hawks -1, Bulls +1
Total: 239.5
The Chicago Bulls are back at home after beating the Detroit Pistons on Thursday night in the NBA Paris Game. Chicago comes into tonight’s game against the Atlanta Hawks riding a two-game winning streak. The Bulls will attempt to build on that streak against the Hawks tonight.
The Bulls had high expectations going into the season but have had a mixed bag of results through 45 games. They entered the week ranked 10th in the Eastern Conference, good for the last slot in the play-in tournament.
Chicago begins a string of games tonight against teams who are immediately above them in the standings — Atlanta and Indiana — before traveling to winless Charlotte and Orlando to finish a three-game road trip.
DeMar DeRozan is the top scorer for Chicago averaging 26.1 points per game. He had 26 points on 9-of-18 shooting in the win over the Pistons in Paris. Teammate Zach LaVine adds 24.1 points a game for a Bulls team that averages 114.8 points per game. That ranks 13th in the league.
The Hawks had a five-game winning streak snapped by the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday. Atlanta had a solid 19-point lead and blew it against the Hornets. Charlotte pushed the pace and made a lot of three-pointers. Atlanta star Trae Young finished the game with a 1-for-12 shooting slump but did manage to score 25 points. Dejounte Murray and De’Andre Hunter each added 24 points. It was a season-high for Hunter, who scored 13 points in the second quarter and had 18 at halftime.
The Bulls and Hawks have split the last 10 games with each other, including the first two this year. Both games took place in Atlanta. AJ Griffin’s buzzer-beater helped the Bulls avenge an overtime setback earlier in the month. DeRozan averages 31 points per game versus the Hawks this season, including 28 in a 110-108 victory on December 21.
With the loss to the Hornets on Saturday, the Hawks are now 5-1 SU and 4-2 ATS in their last six games. They have not been as fortunate against Chicago recently. Atlanta is 2-4 SU and 1-5 ATS in the last six against the Bulls. The Hawks have won four of their last five games on the road.
The Bulls won three straight then lost three straight prior to their current two-game winning streak. Over those last eight games, the Bulls are 6-2 ATS. They are 4-1 ATS in the last five against Atlanta at home.
The Hawks are a big Over team this season with a 27-20 O/U record overall. In four of Atlanta’s last five games, the total has gone Over. The Bulls O/U record for the season is 22-23, but the Over has been in play at the United Center and against the Hawks. In four of the last six games against Atlanta, the Over has cashed. The Over is also 6-2 in Chicago’s last eight games at home.
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