NBA Odds: Bulls (even)
The Oklahoma City Thunder will travel to the United Center to take on the Chicago Bulls. Action begins at 8:00 pm ET on Thursday, Mar. 5 and can be seen on TNT.
The Bulls played well in their last game, topping the Wizards 97-92 on Tuesday. Pau Gasol played a pivotal role, recording his 39th double-double of the season with 20 points and 10 rebounds. The Thunder, meanwhile, are coming off a 108-101 win against the Lakers on Sunday. Serge Ibaka claimed his 17th double-double of the season with 18 points and 14 rebounds.
Russell Westbrook and Ibaka have upped their production over the last five games for the Thunder. Westbrook has averaged 30.6 points, 10.6 rebounds, 11.8 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.8 three-pointers during that stretch, while Ibaka has put up 17.6 points, 9.4 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 0.6 steals, and 3.8 blocks.
The odds for Chicago and Oklahoma City are even, while the Over/Under (O/U) is currently unavailable. The Bulls come into this game 38-23 Straight Up (SU) and 28-33 Against The Spread (ATS). They are 16-10 SU and 12-14 ATS against the Western Conference. The Bulls are one of the best in the NBA in terms of free throws made, making an impressive 20.2 per game. Expect to see a lot of second-chance opportunities for Chicago in this matchup, which is one of the top rebounding teams in the league with an average of 12.3 offensive boards per game. Chicago’s three-point defense can be considered one of the best in the league, allowing just 6.0 three-pointers per game. Opponents have consistently had their shots rejected by the Bulls, leading the league in blocks per game with 6.3.
In the other locker room, the Thunder have 33-27 SU and 30-28-2 ATS records. Oklahoma City performed well ATS during its last 10 games, earning a 9-1 record. Offensively, the Thunder have really picked up the pace in the last 10 games. They have exceeded their season average of 101.8 points per game by averaging 113.1 during that stretch. The Thunder have controlled the glass with an NBA-best 47.6 per game. The Thunder are a problem for teams on the defensive side, allowing only .428 shooting from the field to their opponents. Blocking shots is an area where Oklahoma City has excelled. The Thunder average 6.0 blocks per game, making them one of the best in the league.
These two will be squaring off for the first time this season. In their previous head-to-head meeting, Oklahoma City came out on top, bumping its SU record over the last 10 meetings to 7-3. With a 6-4 record, the Thunder also have the advantage ATS. In these last 10 matchups, Oklahoma City held the edge in field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers twice, with Chicago controlling all three of these areas one time.
Predictions: SU Winner – CHI, ATS Winner – CHI
Notes
On average, Oklahoma City scores 101.8 points per game (ranked 10th). Chicago ranks 11th in points allowed per game with 98.4.
Chicago ranks 18th in points allowed per home game (99.3 PPG), while Oklahoma City ranks 12th in points per away game with 100.0.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have a solid 22-9 record when their opponents score fewer than 100 points this season. The Chicago Bulls are 11-16 when they score less than 100.
When allowing 100 or more points in a game, the Thunder are just 11-18 this season. Chicago is a formidable 27-7 when registering triple digits.
Oklahoma City’s offense and Chicago’s defense both rank 12th this season. Oklahoma City has an offensive rating of 103.3 and Chicago has a defensive rating of 101.7.
Chicago has an average field goal percentage of 44.0%. Oklahoma City is 15-13 when opponents have a similar or higher field goal percentage.
The Chicago Bulls average 21.8 three point attempts per game, while the Oklahoma City Thunder attempt 22.6 per game. When attempting 25 or more three pointers in a game, Chicago is 9-11, while Oklahoma City has a split 8-8 record.
The Chicago Bulls, with an assist to turnover ratio of 1.62, rank 16th in the NBA. The Oklahoma City Thunder have a lower A/TO (1.47), ranking 23rd.
Oklahoma City is at the top of the NBA when it comes to rebounding with 47.6 per game. On the other side, Chicago also earns a lot of rebounds, with a rank of second (46.0 per game).
The Oklahoma City Thunder are among the best offensive rebounding teams in the league (ranked second). The Chicago Bulls are in the top half of NBA teams in defensive rebounding (ranked seventh).
The Thunder’s opponents have had an average turnover percentage of 13.0% this season. The Chicago Bulls have a winning 22-13 record when their TOV% is 13.0% or higher.
