— Monday, March 28th Chicago Bulls @ New York Knicks
The Chicago Bulls have been seeing some slippage in the standings recently, although they’re coming off a huge win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The New York Knicks, on the other hand, have won three straight games, as they’re keeping their slim hopes alive to make it into the play-in tournament.
The point spread of this game is slated at Bulls -5. The over/under is at 223. It looks like we’re in for an exciting NBA game!
Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan look to Power Bulls
Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan have formed quite the formidable scoring duo for the Bulls this season, as they have the Bulls competing for a playoff spot for the first time in five years.
LaVine is coming off a 25 point performance in the Bulls’ latest win, doing it on a solid 8-of-17 shooting. DeRozan put up 20 points on 8-of-17 shooting as well.
DeRozan was garnering MVP buzz earlier this season for being an unstoppable force in the mid-range while taking on a role as a playmaker, as the Bulls found themselves competing for the first seed in the Eastern Conference as a result. However, DeRozan has cooled off considerably but is still putting up solid numbers on the surface of things.
Nikola Vucecic remains a vital part of the Bulls’ attack on the offensive side of the ball, as he’s averaging 18.4 points per game on over 50 percent shooting to go along with 9.6 rebounds per game over his last eight games.
This season, Chicago is 39-34-1 against the spread and 35-37-2 on over/unders. They are 17-21 as the away team.
RJ Barrett Looks to Continue Surge
RJ Barrett has been in a good flow recently, as he’s averaging 25.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game over his last six games.
Barrett is a huge reason for this recent winning streak by the Knicks, as he’s helped carry the load with the absence of Julius Randle.
Randle came back Sunday night to put up 20 points, seven rebounds, and five assists, showing he hasn’t lost his rhythm as one of the best all-around players in the game. If the Knicks hope to sneak into the play-in game, they’re going to need the best version of Randle to show up.
Immanuel Quickley has stepped up in recent games, as he’s averaging 16.5 points on nearly 50 percent shooting to go along with 4.5 assists and 4.2 rebounds in his last six games.
This season, New York is 35-40-0 against the spread and 37-36-2 on over/unders. They are 15-21 as the home team.
Free Betting Pick
The Knicks will be in the second half of a back-to-back, whereas the Bulls are looking to solidify their playoff positioning. We should be in for an exciting and close match, but it is hard to look past the Bulls. Expect the Bulls to win and cover the spread, especially with playoff seeding on the line.
Betting Pick: Chicago Bulls -5.00 Points
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