The Chicago Bulls (32-30) will have a tough time bringing their seven-game road losing streak to a halt when they take on the San Antonio Spurs (54-10), who have won 30 in a row at home. Action starts at 8:00 pm ET on Thursday, Mar. 10 and will air on TNT.
The Spurs enter this game hoping for similar success after thoroughly outplaying the Timberwolves 116-91 on Tuesday. LaMarcus Aldridge was the game’s leading scorer with 29 points on 11-for-13 shooting. The Bulls, meanwhile, are coming off a 100-90 win against the Bucks on Monday. They were carried by Pau Gasol who recorded 12 points, 17 rebounds, and 13 assists. He elevated his game, recording his second triple-double of the season.
Over the last five games, Aldridge has taken his game to another level for the Spurs, averaging 25.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.5 steals, and 1.8 blocks. Gasol has also been on fire in the same span, averaging 17.8 points, 12.8 rebounds, 8.0 assists, 0.8 steals, and 2.6 blocks while leading the Bulls.
From an effective field goal perspective, this will be a balanced matchup. The sweet-shooting offense for San Antonio ranks second in the NBA in that metric at 53.3%, while the Bulls are second-best in the league at forcing opponents’ misses (47.6%). Furthermore, the 26th-ranked offense of the Bulls (offensive efficiency of 101.6) will face a tough test against the first-ranked defense of the Spurs (defensive efficiency of 96.0).
This will be the second matchup of the season between these two teams. The Bulls won the first game 92-89. Kawhi Leonard was the top overall scorer in the game with 25 points.
The Spurs come into this game 54-10 Straight Up (SU) and 39-25 Against The Spread (ATS). They are 54-10 SU and 39-25 ATS against the Eastern Conference. San Antonio has been steady from the free throw line, shooting a stellar .803. San Antonio has the third-most assists in the NBA, averaging 25.0 per game. Turning to the defensive side, teams routinely struggle to score points against the Spurs, who allow a league-low 92.3 points per game. Teams have to fight for open shots against the Spurs, who have the best opponent field-goal percentage in the league at .432. The Spurs are the fourth-best team in the league at blocking shots, averaging 6.0 blocks per game.
On the other side, the Bulls head into the game with records of 25-37 ATS and 32-30 SU. Despite having a winning record against the Western Conference, Chicago is unsuccessful ATS in those games with a record of 11-19. The last 10 games have really brought the best of the Bulls on the defensive end. They’ve allowed 93.9 points per game during that span, which is lower than their season average of 102.5.
Chicago won the last meeting this season between these two teams, evening up the two teams’ head-to-head record over the last 10 games. They are also even ATS in their last 10 games.
Predictions: SU Winner – SA
Notes
On average, San Antonio puts up 106.1 points per home game (ranked seventh). Chicago ranks 22nd in points allowed per road game with 105.8.
The San Antonio Spurs won their last game by 25 points. In games decided by a margin of 18 points or more, the Chicago Bulls are 4-5. San Antonio is 24-2 in blowouts this season.
When the Bulls allow fewer than 100 points to their opponent, they are 21-3. When the Spurs score fewer than 100 points, they also have a winning record (14-8).
The Chicago Bulls have a losing 11-27 record in games where they have allowed at least 100 points. The San Antonio Spurs are 40-2 when they hit the century mark.
The Spurs have the best defense in the NBA, with a defensive rating of 96.0. The Bulls have an offensive rating of 101.6 (ranked 26th).
The San Antonio Spurs have one of the best field goal percentages this season, ranking first in the league with a FG% of 48.9%. When their opponents record a similar or higher FG%, the Chicago Bulls are winless with a 0-8 record.
On average, the San Antonio Spurs attempt 18.0 three point field goals per game and the Chicago Bulls attempt 20.0 per game. In games where they attempt at least 25 threes, both teams have losing records; San Antonio is 1-2 and Chicago is 4-7.
The San Antonio Spurs top the league in assist to turnover ratio this season with an A/TO of 1.96. The Chicago Bulls have an A/TO of 1.66 (ranked 13th).
With 47.6 per game, Chicago ranks near the top of the NBA for rebounds at second. San Antonio ranks 11th with 44.5.
San Antonio ranks among the best in the league in defensive rebounds at third, while Chicago is a top-10 team in offensive rebounding (ranked sixth).
San Antonio ranks 10th in forced turnovers with an average rate of 14.9%. Chicago has a 10-11 record when they suffer a turnover rate equal to or exceeding this.
