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The Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards will square off in a Friday night NBA matchup at Capital One Arena in our nation's capital. With that said, it’s a good time to check out our NBA odds series, which includes a Bulls-Wizards prediction and pick, laid out below.
Chicago notched an opening night victory, defeating Miami by a score of 116-108. Chicago finished last season with an impressive 46-36 record, sixth place in the Eastern Conference, before losing to the Milwaukee Bucks in five games in the opening round of the playoffs.
Washington also won their season opener, defeating Indiana by a 114-107 margin. Washington finished their 2021-22 season with a disappointing 35-47 record, twelfth place in the Eastern Conference, and no hope to make the playoffs. Gone are the glory days of John Wall.
Here are the Bulls-Wizards NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Bulls-Wizards Odds
Chicago Bulls: +2.5 (-114)
Washington Wizards: -2.5 (-106)
Over: 222 (-110)
Under: 222 (-110)
Why The Bulls Could Cover The Spread
DeMar DeRozan is now in his second season with Chicago, which is great news for any fan of this club. DeRozan did not disappoint in his first season with the team, averaging 27.9 points per game last season for the playoff club. In the opener, DeRozan went off, scoring 37 points on 64 percent shooting. DeRozan also added nine assists, six rebounds, and two steals. All told, DeRozan ended his night at +13. Ayo Dosunmu added seventeen points, which ranked second on the team, with six rebounds, four assists, and two steals.
Nikola Vucevic may have put up the most impressive stat line for this team, with fifteen points and seventeen (!!!) rebounds, including five on the offensive side. Vucevic ended his night at +16 to pace the team in that category. In just nineteen minutes, Goran Dragic scored twelve points, all four of his baskets coming from behind the three-point line. Dragic shot a whopping 80 percent from behind the arc. Chicago forced twelve steals in their season opener, going a long way in securing their victory.
Why The Wizards Could Cover The Spread
Bradley Beal is here to stay for now, which means Washington has the superstar they need to be successful. Beal led the team with 23 points and six assists in the opener, pulling in five rebounds. Beal managed to shoot 53 percent despite a brutal 29 percent shooting rate from behind the arc. Kyle Kuzma added 22 points and thirteen rebounds, one of two Wizards to manage a double-double in game one. Kristaps Porzingis was the second member of the team with a double-double, scoring fifteen points with ten rebounds. Porzingis also added three assists and two blocks.
As a team, Washington blocked ten shots in the opener. Daniel Gafford was solid, scoring twelve points with seven rebounds and a block. In just 21 minutes, Monte Morris posted an impressive +17 mark, scoring seven points with six rebounds, six assists, and two steals. Will Barton added fourteen points in 25 minutes, knocking down 67 percent of his three-point shots. Washington pulled down 51 rebounds in their opener and shot 42 percent from the field. On the defensive side, the team totaled five steals and ten blocks, holding Indiana to just 107 points. In a league dominated by offense, 107 points is an impressive feat.
Final Bulls-Wizards Prediction & Pick
I think DeRozan has the ability to take over this game and will his team to victory.
Final Bulls-Wizards Prediction & Pick: Chicago +2.5 (-114), over 222 (-110)
