The Chicago Bulls are currently slight home favorites with an over/under total set at 234.5 points.
Trae Young, Zach LaVine, Dejounte Murray, Saddiq Bey and Clint Capela will likely feature for Chicago in this game. For any chance at making the playoffs run, Chicago needs to improve their defense.
Detail Score line
DeMar DeRozan is currently averaging 22.3 points per game and will look to maintain his streak when the Bulls host Atlanta at home. Since Zach LaVine will not be present, expect Coby White to step in and provide an offensive boost as Zach LaVine would normally do.
Atlanta averages 122.7 points per game and Chicago can stop them with an effective defensive effort. Atlanta relies heavily on perimeter scoring to score their points; thus they may struggle matching Chicago’s star players’ production.
The Bulls currently hold a 1-point advantage against the Hawks; however, the line has moved since opening. Furthermore, note that Atlanta holds an underdog record against the spread at 5-11; thus creating an interesting contest between teams who both face significant adversity this season – hopefully both squads can use this game as an opportunity to earn some much-needed wins – last time these two squads met was when Bulls won by 118-113!
The Hawks are playing better basketball
Following Christmas, NBA action resumes with two teams fighting to stay alive for playoff contention: Atlanta Hawks (12-17) host Chicago Bulls (13-18) in an important clash that could determine their playoff fates.
Last Saturday, the Hawks came close to knocking off Memphis but ultimately fell 125-119 despite being 1.5 point favorites. When they return home against Chicago on Tuesday night, they will hope not to repeat that performance.
On Tuesday, the Hawks will be without AJ Griffin, Mouhamed Gueye and De’Andre Hunter; however, Coby White could make an impactful contribution against a Bulls team without Zach LaVine.
Both teams are in desperate need of a win to remain playoff contenders, so this should be an entertaining high-scoring matchup between two clubs that like to shoot the ball well. Ultimately, though, the winner may be determined by which side can better take care of the ball; the Hawks lead in turnovers per game at 13 while the Bulls come in second at 14.5. Both sides possess strong defenses but it comes down to who can capitalize more quickly when their opponent makes mistakes.
The Bulls have the length and defenders outside to challenge the Hawks’ shots
Even with their difficulties shooting this season, the Hawks remain an effective defensive unit. Last season they finished 14th in defensive efficiency; so far this year they’ve held steady. Their roster includes players that excel at protecting the rim such as Clint Capela returning and Dejounte Murray arriving.
However, they have some gaps in their defense that need addressing; specifically, their ability to restrict penetration is limited and there are no effective counters against Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton.
Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu struggled mightily to hit threes during Game 3. Together they missed 8 of 10 shots from long range, which wasn’t good news as the Bulls added their own long range shots late to try to gain an advantage.
The Hawks are too reliant on perimeter scoring
The Hawks dropped another contest against Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday and have struggled to score over 120 points over their past four matches. Atlanta’s perimeter-oriented attack won’t work against a Bulls team who can control the pace at home and will try to slow Atlanta down with DeRozan and Vucevic playing half-court sets to slow their attack down.
Chicago’s length allows them to be hyper-aggressive on pick-and-rolls, forcing their opponents to make tough, contested shots from deep within their own zone, contesting pull-up jumpers, and disrupting set plays by staying close to the ball carrier and matching his movements.
The Bulls roster is filled with young players looking to make an impression in the NBA, such as Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu and Patrick Williams who have proven key pieces while veterans such as Jevon Carter and Torrey Craig offer invaluable contributions from off the bench.
