Chicago Bulls vs. Indiana Pacers Prediction, Preview, and Odds
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Central Division rivals faceoff on Wednesday night when the Chicago Bulls (31-34, 9th in the East) travel to take on the Indiana Pacers (36-29, 6th in the East). The Pacers are playing their second game in two nights as they played the Thunder in Oklahoma City on Tuesday (Note: This article was published before the results of the Pacers/Thunder game). The Bulls just got blown out at home by the Mavericks 127-92, going down as 3.5-point underdogs. In the Pacers' previous game, the Pacers beat the Magic 111-97, easily covering as 1.5-point underdogs. This is the second of four games between these teams this season, with the series tied 1-1. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 EST from Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Bulls Drop Consecutive Games
The Chicago Bulls come into this game on a two-game losing streak, having lost in Los Angeles against the Clippers and at home to the Mavericks. The Bulls are 9th in the East and look like a lock for the Play-In Tournament. They are five games ahead of the Nets who sit in 11th, and 5.5 games behind the Pacers in 6th, which is why they will probably play in the play-in. In their last game, the Bulls were led by Onuralp Bitim with 17 points off the bench.
Deebo going to work early.@NBCSChicago | @DeMar_DeRozanpic.twitter.com/vvpYXT9cT5
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) March 12, 2024
DeMar DeRozan is the leading scorer for the Bulls at 23.0 PPG. He still has the athleticism to get to the rim, but truly excels in the midrange game finding scoring opportunities. He also averages 5.3 APG and 4.2 RPG. He is averaging 20.5 PPG this season against the Pacers. Coby White has stepped up his scoring after the Zach LaVine injury. White is averaging 19.6 PPG and is right behind DeRozan in assists with 5.2 per game. White is also the top shooter on the team, making 2.8 threes per game. Nikola Vucevic has been averaging a double-double for the past seven seasons, four of which were with the Bulls. He is averaging 18.1 PPG and 10.7 RPG this season for Chicago.
Their starting lineup recently has also consisted of Alex Caruso (9.5 PPG) and Ayo Dosunmu (10.8 PPG) as two athletic guards who defend well. Onuralp Bitim and Julian Phillips got the most minutes off the bench last time out for the Bulls. Chicago is ranked 22nd in offensive efficiency and 18th in defensive efficiency according to dunksandthrees.com. They play slow offensively, ranking 29th in pace of play.
Injury Report:
Out: Zach LaVine, Patrick Williams, Lonzo Ball
Questionable: Julian Phillips, Torrey Craig
The Battle for Sixth
The 6th seed in the NBA has become a valuable playoff position. It is the final spot that gets to avoid the high-risk Play-In Tournament, and is guaranteed a seven game series. The Pacers currently sit at 6th, but the standings in the East are tight, they are only a half game behind the Magic for 5th and a half game ahead of the 76ers in seventh. The Pacers are on a two game winning streak, having defeated the Magic and Thunder on the road. In their last game, they were led by Myles Turner with 24 points in the win over OKC.
"Our best players led us in this game. Ty, Pascal and Myles. They set the tone early and everyone followed."
Coach Carlisle after tonight's win in Oklahoma City ��️ pic.twitter.com/K1xwPHb1G1
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) March 13, 2024
Tyrese Haliburton is the unquestioned leader of the Pacers, the All-Star guard is averaging 20.7 PPG and 11.3 APG, while also knocking down 2.9 threes per game. He has scored 18 or more in each of his last four games. Pascal Siakam has added a scoring punch to the Pacers, he is averaging 20.5 PPG and 7.2 RPG in his 25 games with the team. Myles Turner is an important piece on the inside, he can block shots defensively, while also knock down three-pointers on offense. Turner is getting 17.2 PPG and 7.0 RPG, and leads the team with 1.9 blocks per game. Aaron Nesmith (12.3 PPG) and Andrew Nembhard (9.0 PPG) have rounded out recent starting lineups.
Obi Toppin and TJ McConnell are two of their top bench contributors. The Pacers rank 2nd in offensive efficiency and 25th in defensive efficiency. They play at the second-fastest pace in the league.
Injury Report:
Out: Bennedict Mathurin, Doug McDermott, James Johnson
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Best Bets for this Game
Full-Game Side Bet
Insiders Status:
Rating:
This is a small number to cover for the better and healthier team. Every team in the NBA is dealing with some injuries at this point of the season, but the Pacers top three, Haliburton, Siakam, and Turner, are all healthy for this game. The Bulls are without Zach LaVine, and while this is old news, and the Bulls have adjusted to life without their All-Star guard, it still leaves them searching for scoring options. DeRozan is still a strong player, but his game is limited to midrange isolations, and his scoring is not enough to carry the team to victory. The Pacers are at home and will use their speed to push the pace in this game. Haliburton is a wizard, he can put up huge scoring numbers, but he is even better at making plays for his teammates at full speed, that is why he leads the NBA in assists per game. The Pacers just won two tough games on the road against the Magic and Thunder, they now come back home to play a weaker team that is coming off two losses.
Take the Pacers to cover.
Prediction: Pacers -4
Full-Game Total Pick
Insiders Status:
Rating:
This is a true clash of styles, as the Pacers are the second fastest team in the NBA, and the Bulls are the second slowest. The recent trends point to an under, and the Bulls will be able to slow this game down enough to hit this under. The Bulls are on the road and do not want to let the Pacers get out and run, they will use the shot clock to their advantage and limit possessions. The Bulls will be able to slow the Pacers down, because their defense has been proven to make offenses work. The Bulls have the longest average defensive possessions in the league, averaging 15.0 seconds per play. They do not gamble and Caruso and Dosunmu give them flexibility to switch screens at multiple positions. Indiana's defense is not known to speed up their opponents, their defensive possessions rank 14th in the league. The Bulls have gone under in their last two, and the Pacers have gone under in their last three, both trends stay true here.
Take the under.
Prediction: Under 229.5
Paul has been a sports fan his entire life, and was an All-Conference basketball player at The University of Scranton. He is currently a high school basketball coach and a mathematics teacher with a Master’s in Business Administration. This unique combination gives Paul the ability to find mismatches from a coach’s perspective while having the ability to analyze statistical data to spot advantages. Paul will provide you with an array of statistics, trends, and analytics to prepare for any match-up. Follow Paul for up-to-date analysis and all your betting needs. We are thrilled to have Paul on our team.
