Bulls vs. Raptors odds, props, predictions: Chicago has rest edge over rebuilding Toronto
The Bulls are on the road in Toronto tonight for a matchup with the Raptors, who are officially in a rebuild.
On Wednesday, they traded forward Pascal Siakam to the Indiana Pacers in a deal centered around three first-round picks. They’ll look to get off to a quick 2-0 start with their new-look team against the Bulls, who may be headed toward a rebuild themselves.
The Raptors will be on the second leg of a back-to-back after pulling off a victory against a healthy Miami Heat team yesterday. The Bulls have been resting for two days and have won four of their last six contests. The matchup may not be the sexiest game on the schedule, but it could be one of the most competitive of the night.
Bulls vs. Raptors odds: Point spread, moneyline, and total
Bulls betting news: LaVine getting back in form after injury
Despite their sub .500 record, the Bulls are still in playoff contention as of now. Their star guard Zach LaVine recently returned to the lineup from a foot injury that caused him to miss all of December.
Since his return this month, LaVine is averaging 16.8 points on 49.3% from the field and 39.5% from deep, to go along with 6.5 rebounds and 5.7 assists. Excluding points per game, his numbers are up across the board in his return.
That’s in large part due to him working himself back into game shape, which is causing a temporary dip in assertiveness, which is reflected in him averaging about three less attempts per game. Tonight, he should look to be more aggressive given how much the Raptors’ defense has struggled as of late, surrendering 121 points per game in that stretch.
His running mate DeMar DeRozan is coming off his worst game of the season, scoring only six points in 38 minutes against the Cavs. A repeat of that performance is highly unlikely for him, so look for an aggressive performance from him as well tonight.
For the season, he is averaging 22 points, four rebounds, 5.3 assists on 46.4% from the field.
Raptors betting news: Rebuild fully underway in Toronto
The Raptors have traded away OG Anunoby and now pascal Siakam within weeks of each other, signaling the end of an era. However, they’ve gotten a return that has helped keep them competitive, thanks to the additions of RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley.
Since coming aboard, Quickley is averaging 18.7 points per game on 42.4% from the field and 40% from deep, along with five rebounds and five assists. Except for his shooting percentage, his numbers are up across the board.
His teammate Barrett has completely improved his game as well while in a Raptors jersey. As a Raptor, he is averaging 20.6 points per game, 7.8 rebounds, and 3.3 assists on shooting splits of 56.9%, 43.2%, and 69%. The Raptors are also still getting great production from Scottie Barnes, who is averaging 20.1 points per game, 8.4 rebounds and 5.6 assists.
Offense is clearly not the Raptors problem. It’s defense, which may be the cause of them dropping yet another game despite an offensive explosion.
Bulls vs. Raptors player props
This matchup has the closest spread on night paired with a sizable total, which sets up a tight game with plenty of competitive player props to consider. Here are a few of note at DraftKings.
RJ Barrett prop bets
- OVER 20.5 points (-120)
- OVER 7.5 rebounds (+114)
- UNDER 1.5 made threes (-104)
Scottie Barnes prop bets
- OVER 18.5 points (-125)
- OVER 7.5 rebounds (-140)
- OVER 5.5 assists (+108)
Zach LaVine prop bets
- OVER 2.5 made threes (+104)
- OVER 19.5 points (-113)
- UNDER 4.5 assists (-148)
Bulls vs. Raptors prediction
The Bulls are better than the Raptors in defense across the board, and they’ll need it tonight against a Raptors team that can fill it up. The Raptors will make it a high-scoring affair, but when it’s winning time, the Bulls have the best interior defense at the moment, allowing the fewest opponents points per game in the paint at just 43.8.
That will force the Raptors to settle for jump shots late in the game, which won’t be enough to get it done.
