Eastern Conference foes will square off Friday night as the Brooklyn Nets (34-24) take on the Chicago Bulls (26-33). The Bulls will host this one at the United Center, with tipoff scheduled for 8:00 pm ET.
The Bulls are slight favorites in this one playing at home. They are -116 to win, while the Nets’ moneyline sits at -102. The spread features Brooklyn as 1-point underdogs (-110).
Revamped Nets Still Looking For Playoff Push
Despite trading both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant prior to the trade deadline, the Brooklyn Nets still sit in fifth place in the Eastern Conference, 7.5 games out of first. Hoping to stay in the thick of the playoff race, the Nets will look to improve on their 16-13 road record.
This season, Brooklyn ranks 17th in scoring, averaging 114 points per game. In three games with the Nets, forward Mikal Bridges is averaging 25 points, 6.3 rebounds, and three assists per game.
Other contributors include Spencer Dinwiddie (17.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.3 assists), Cameron Johnson (14.7 points, four rebounds), and Nic Claxton (12.8 points, nine rebounds).
Defensively, the Nets rank ninth in the NBA, allowing an average of 112.3 points per game (113.8 on the road).
Bulls Trying To Make Playoff Push
With the top 10 teams in each conference making the playoffs, the Bulls sit just out of contention currently at 11th in the Eastern Conference. Just two games behind the Raptors, though, the Bulls are certainly in striking distance.
First, Chicago will have to find a way to get back into the win column after having lost six in a row leading to the All-Star break. In the East this season, they are just 20-20 and they are 16-13 at home.
The team is hoping to get a spark, especially on the defensive side, from their new addition, Pat Beverley. The guard, waived by the Lakers, will try to help a Bulls’ defense that ranks 15th in the NBA, averaging 113.4 points allowed to opponents.
On the offensive side, Chicago ranks 20th overall, averaging 113.1 points per game. They are led by DeMar DeRozan (25.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.1 assists), Zach LaVine (24 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists), and Nikola Vucevic (17.9 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists).
Take Chicago To Win At Home
The Nets come into this one having gone just 2-4 in their last six games. In their last seven games on the road, they are just 2-5. Against Chicago, they are 2-4 against the spread in their last six matchups.
As for the Bulls, they are a woeful 0-6 both straight up and against the spread in their last six games.
Furthermore, they are 0-5 against the spread in their last five games against Eastern Conference opponents.
The All-Star break could not have come at a better time for the Bulls. They were reeling as a team and had injury concerns to stars like DeMar DeRozan.
It is hard to envision one person completely changing a season, but expect Pat Beverely to influence the locker room immediately, a unit that desperately needs to be lifted up with their poor play as of late.
Take Chicago to come out of the break a bit stronger and win this one straight up at home. Take the Bulls straight up at -116.
