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The Golden State Warriors as we know them may be crumbling, but they get a chance to get back on track against the Chicago Bulls on Friday night. It is the first matchup of the season for the Warriors and Bulls. It is time to continue our NBA odds series with a Warriors-Bulls prediction, pick, and how-to-watch.
The Warriors reached a new low on Wednesday night, losing 141-105 to New Orleans. It was their third loss in four games. They have lost six of their last eight games and barely escaped with victories over the Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic. There are rumors that everyone is in play on the Warriors roster before the trade deadline other than Steph Curry. The Warriors were supposed to have one more run this season, but that keeps slipping farther away every game. The last shred of hope that the Warriors have is the approaching return of Draymond Green.
The Bulls are feeling better about themselves, winning three straight and climbing to ninth in the Eastern Conference. At one point, the Bulls were also in a possible trade scenario heading into the deadline, but their recent success may cause them to keep the team intact. This could be an integral game for the scope of two of these franchises, as a win for the Bulls will further cement the Warriors' demise, and a win for the Warriors may buy their core some time and bring the Bulls back down to earth.
Here are the NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Warriors-Bulls Odds
Golden State Warriors: +3 (-110)
Moneyline: (+124)
Chicago Bulls: -3 (-110)
Moneyline: (-148)
Over: 229.5 (-110)
Under: 229.5 (-110)
How to Watch Warriors vs. Bulls
Time: 8 PM ET/5 PM PT
TV: NBC Sports Chicago
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Warriors Could Cover The Spread
The Warriors are going through a rough stretch, but to see them as underdogs against the Bulls is shocking. The Warriors couldn't have played worse against the Pelicans on Wednesday night, with all their veteran leaders failing to show up. They had Curry, Thompson, and Wiggins combine for 33 points in the blowout loss. It's hard to bet against a couple of these guys bouncing back in this game. They are a team with a lot of pride, and Curry rarely has two terrible games in a row. There's a chance that the Warriors still find a way to lose, but they will put up a fight, and it may be good enough to cover the number.
Why The Bulls Could Cover The Spread
The Warriors are a shell of their former selves, as evidenced at home on Wednesday night. They were booed off the floor after losing by 36 points to the New Orleans Pelicans. This ended a homestand that saw them lose four of six games. Moses Moody and Trace Jackson-Davis led the team in the points department as the team's core struggled. Curry had 15 points, Klay Thompson had 13, Jonathan Kuminga had 12, and Andrew Wiggins had the most disappointing night with five points. There isn't much reason to believe in the Warriors, including their 6-8 record on the road. If the Warriors can't even use their homecourt success to their advantage, there's no reason to believe in them on the road.
The Bulls have won three straight and covered all of those games. If you had said at the start of the season that the Bulls would be three-point favorites over the Warriors in mid-January, no one would have believed it. However, the Bulls played their way into the playoff conversation in the Eastern Conference. If you had to bet on a team to make the playoffs right now, it'd be the Bulls and not the Warriors.
Final Warriors-Bulls Prediction & Pick
Everyone is waiting for the Warriors to start looking like the old Warriors. They lost four of six games at home and look like a shell of their former selves. Chris Paul is injured, and Draymond Green is trying to regain his fitness after serving an indefinite suspension. Gary Payton II is also out of the lineup. The Warriors lack veteran depth, and the veterans still there are failing to live up to their expectations. Even Steph Curry looked drained and defeated at the end of the Pelicans game. It will take a lot for the Warriors to get up for this game, and the Bulls are rejuvenated by looking like a playoff team. It's hard to see how the Warriors bounce back from being booed off their home court on Wednesday night.
Final Warriors-Bulls Prediction & Pick: Bulls -3 (-110)
