The Chicago Bulls travel to the Smoothie King Center to take on the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday night.
Here’s a Pelicans vs Bulls Prediction. This article will include a Pelicans vs Bulls Pick.
Chicago Bulls Betting Preview
The Chicago Bulls are starting to turn things around as they’ve won three of their past four games and they will be eager to keep it going after outlasting the Wizards in a thrilling 121-120 win on Saturday. Nikola Vucevic led the team with 28 points and 12 rebounds on 12 of 20 shooting, Coby White added 20 points with six assists while Josh Giddey tallied a triple-double of 18 points with 12 rebounds and 11 assists.
As a team, the Bulls shot just 42 percent from the field and 12 of 44 from the 3-point line as they got off to a sloppy start and fell into a 16-point hole. But they chipped away at the deficit and held the Wizards to just 22 points in the fourth quarter to pull off the comeback victory at home.
New Orleans Pelicans Betting Preview
Meanwhile, the New Orleans Pelicans have been in terrible form to start the season, as they’ve lost 15 of their first 17 games. They will be hoping to put an end to a nine-game losing streak after getting thrashed by the Hawks in a 115-98 loss on Saturday. Derik Queen led the team in scoring with 20 points, nine rebounds and three assists, Saddiq Bey added 18 points with 11 rebounds and five assists while Trey Murphy contributed 19 points with nine rebounds and four assists.
As a team, the Pelicans shot just 42 percent from the field and eight of 27 from the 3-point line as they struggled to keep pace with the Hawks and allowed 35 points in the second quarter to trail by 10 points at halftime. Things only got worse in the second half as the Pelicans fell behind by as many as 24 points before they finished with a flurry to keep the final margin somewhat respectable.
Why the New Orleans Pelicans will win
- The underdogs have won three of the last four games between the Bulls and Pelicans.
- The Bulls have lost each of their last four games against Southwest Division opponents.
- The underdogs have covered the spread in each of the Bulls’ last eight games.
- The Bulls have failed to cover the spread in each of their last six games as favorites.
Why the Chicago Bulls will win
- The Pelicans have lost each of their last 17 games against teams that held a winning record.
- The favorites have won each of the Pelicans’ last 17 games at Smoothie King Center.
- The Pelicans have failed to cover the spread in each of their last five games as underdogs against Eastern Conference opponents.
- The Bulls have covered the spread in each of their last four games as favorites following a home win.
Total Points Facts
- Eight of the Pelicans’ last nine home games against Eastern Conference opponents have gone UNDER the total points line.
- Seven of the Bulls’ last eight road games against Western Conference opponents have gone OVER the total points line.
New Orleans Pelicans Player Facts
- Trey Murphy III ranks 4th amongst qualified players for FT% (94.0%) this season.
- Jeremiah Fears is one of only four players in the league to have recorded 7+ steals in a game this season.
Chicago Bulls Player Facts
- Josh Giddey is one of only two players in the league to have recorded a triple-double in consecutive games this season.
- Ayo Dosunmu ranks 2nd amongst qualified Guards for FG% (54.9%) this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Pelicans rank 30th in the league for points per game this season (108.6).
- The Pelicans rank 30th in the league for assists per game this season (22.8).
- The Bulls rank 30th in the league for opponent turnovers per game this season (12.3).
- The Bulls have recorded the largest comeback win from a HT deficit this season – trailed by 19 points vs 76ers on November 4.
Pelicans vs Bulls Prediction
The Bulls are still shorthanded with Zach Collins, Isaac Okoro, and Dalen Terry out. They are keeping an eye on Kevin Huerter, who is questionable, while the Pelicans have ruled out Jordan Poole and Dejounte Murray, with Kevon Looney listed as questionable. The Bulls were a little lucky to survive a scare from the Wizards in their last outing, but they were able to dig themselves out and are now in decent form with three wins from their past four outings.
In contrast, the Pelicans have continued their nosedive with another big defeat and they’re going to need someone like Murphy III and Queen to step up if they want to hold off this improving Bulls team. The line is short for this one, so I will happily take the more promising Bulls to get the win over this slumping Pelicans team.