Chicago Bulls (18-24) vs. Portland Trailblazers (13-27)
January 19, 2025 9:00 pm EDT
The Line: Portland Trailblazers +3.5; Over/Under: 236
(Get latest betting odds)
The Chicago Bulls invade the Moda Center to do battle with the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday night. Here’s a Trail Blazers vs Bulls Prediction. This article will include a Trail Blazers vs Bulls Pick.
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls have been in poor form as they’ve lost five of their last six games overall. The Bulls will be hoping to put a halt to a four-game slide after falling painfully short to the Hornets in a 125-123 home defeat on Friday. Nikola Vucevic led the team with 40 points and 13 rebounds on 17 of 25 shooting, Zach LaVine added 19 points with eight assists while Coby White chipped in with 18 points and eight assists on six of seven shooting. As a team, the Bulls shot 50 percent from the field and 14 of 40 from the 3-point line as they piled on the points early to turn a 14-point deficit into a five-point lead. Only to go cold and manage just 20 points in the fourth quarter to allow the Hornets to snatch the game away at the death. The Bulls will play the Clippers, Warriors, and 76ers next.
Trail Blazers
Meanwhile, the Portland Trail Blazers have been doing it tough lately as they’ve lost eight of their last 10 games overall. The Trail Blazers will be eager to avoid a sixth straight defeat after getting run over by the Rockets in a 125-103 home defeat last night. Scoot Henderson led the team with 21 points and 11 assists off the bench, Tounami Camara added 17 points while Anfernee Simons and Shaedon Sharpe scored 13 points apiece. As a team, the Trail Blazers shot 45 percent from the field and 12 of 36 from the 3-point line as they kept pace with the Rockets in a tightly contested first half. Before they got blown away in the second half by 76-53 they had no answer for the Rockets’ Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun who combined for 49 points. The Blazers will face the Heat following this one.
Why the Portland Trail Blazers will win
- The Trail Blazers have won three of their last five games as home underdogs against Western Conference opponents following a loss.
- The Rockets have lost each of their last three Saturday games as favorites.
- The Trail Blazers have covered the spread in five of their last six home games on the first leg of a back-to-back.
- The Rockets have failed to cover the spread in seven of their last nine road games against Northwest Division opponents that held a losing record.
Why the Houston Rockets will win
- The Trail Blazers have lost each of their nine previous games on the first leg of a back-to-back against the Rockets.
- The favorites have won each of the Rockets’ last eight games at Moda Center.
- The road team has covered the spread in each of the Trail Blazers’ last seven games.
- The Trail Blazers have failed to cover the spread in each of their last four games at Moda Center.
Portland Trail Blazers Player Facts
- Anfernee Simons ranks 5th amongst qualified players for FT% (91.4%) this season.
- Dalano Banton ranks 16th amongst qualified players for steals per 36 minutes (1.9) this season.
Houston Rockets Player Facts
- Alperen Sengun ranks 3rd in the league for second-chance points (149) this season.
- Jalen Green ranks 6th in the league for fast break points (163) this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Trail Blazers rank 30th in the league for opponent free throw percentage this season (79.7%).
- The Trail Blazers rank 30th in the league for Q1 points per game this season (25.4).
- The Rockets rank 1st in the league for rebounds per game this season (48.3).
- The Rockets rank 1st in the league for offensive rebounds per game this season (14.4).
Trail Blazers vs Bulls Prediction
The Bulls could be shorthanded again with Jevon Carter still out and Talen Horton-Tucker listed as questionable, while the Trail Blazers have ruled out Deni Avdija and Deandre Ayton once again. You couldn’t back either side with any confidence these days, but there is a little more to like about the Bulls who will be kicking themselves after dropping a close one to the Hornets in their last outing. The Trail Blazers are also playing this one on zero days’ rest, so I will lean toward the Bulls to get the win and cover at the short line in this spot.
