Bulls vs. Raptors Predictions, Picks & Odds: Who Will Keep Their Postseason Dreams Alive?

sportsbookreview.com
 

The play-in tournament continues Wednesday night with a matchup between the Chicago Bulls and Toronto Raptors. Read on for our Bulls vs. Raptors prediction based on the best NBA odds.

Only one team can stay in the playoff hunt, as the Toronto Raptors (41-41) welcome the Chicago Bulls (40-42) to town as the No. 9 and No. 10 seeds clash in the play-in tournament. The winner will travel to face the Miami Heat in hopes of claiming the final spot in the Eastern Conference.

These two teams met three times in the regular season, with the home squad taking each contest. That bodes well for the Raptors, who are 2-1 against the Bulls this year and hosting the win-or-go-home battle.

Here is our best Bulls vs. Raptors prediction (odds via DraftKings Sportsbook; Pick confidence is based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Bulls vs. Raptors prediction

Zach LaVine Under 30.5 points + assists (-115 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐

Not intended for use in MA
Affiliate Disclosure: Sportsbook Review may receive advertising commissions for visits to a sportsbook

Bet $5, Win $150 in Bonus Bets

After whiffing on a pair of Overs during Tuesday’s play-in games, I’m switching to the dark side and rooting for an Under. NumberFire’s projection of 23.1 points and 4.5 assists gives this prop a 23% edge on the Under at its current price of -115 on 30.5.

The Bulls are facing an uphill battle as two-possession underdogs in Toronto. LaVine and DeMar DeRozan will be critical if Chicago pulls off an upset, though the latter is more likely to produce a big game.

LaVine is averaging 24.8 points and 4.2 assists per game this season. He's only cleared this mark twice over his last seven contests, scoring 26-plus points in both outings. You could take the Under on LaVine’s point prop of 25.5, but this combo line offers a little more wiggle room.

Chicago’s implied team total is around 103.5 after the game total dropped five points from its opening number, so the betting market clearly expects a defensive battle. The Raptors are seventh in defensive rating over the last two weeks, according to Cleaning the Glass. The Bulls are ninth during that span.

Key players like LaVine will ultimately be the difference during this game, but bet against him producing a huge outing on the road as a sizable underdog. Still, this pick is only three stars because LaVine is always capable of an offensive outburst for the Bulls. We just believe in the Raptors' defense a bit more.

Bulls vs. Raptors best odds

DraftKings (-115)

Four of our five best sportsbooks have set this line at 30.5, though FanDuel Sportsbook is an outlier at 29.5. FanDuel is a shop to keep an eye on in the player prop market, as its lines tend to be closer to fair price due to the same-game parlay options.

This bet can be placed at DraftKings, BetMGM, or Caesars with a consensus price of -115 on the Under. This prop is playable at anything -125 or better, which does give us the option to shop at PointsBet too.

Bulls vs. Raptors odds

Bulls vs. Raptors odds analysis

Toronto opened as a 4.5-point favorite, but the team is now laying 5.5 or 6 at our best NBA betting sites. The total has plummeted to 212.5 after opening at 217.5.

Chicago went 42-39-1 against the spread during the regular season, finishing 46-36 to the Over as well. The Raptors posted a 40-39-3 ATS clip and a 44-36-2 record to the Under.

Bulls vs. Raptors game info

  • Date: Wednesday, April 12, 7 p.m. ET
  • TV: ESPN
  • Location: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Ontario

Bulls-Raptors pick made 04/12/2023 at 11:15 a.m. ET.

Here are our best NBA betting sites:

(21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER)
* Bonuses not applicable in Ontario.