The Chicago Bulls and the Charlotte Hornets will battle it out at the Spectrum Center on Thursday night. It’s time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Bulls-Hornets prediction and pick.

Chicago has lost four straight and five of their last six games coming in. With Nikola Vucevic and Zach LaVine both listed as probable, there's a good chance we get to see this Bulls team at full strength for the first time in a while.

Charlotte continues to tread water as they get set to enter the first-ever play-in tournament. The Hornets currently sit in the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference and are within striking distance of surging past the Celtics for the sixth seed.

Here’s how sportsbooks have set the opening Bulls-Hornets odds.

NBA Odds: Bulls-Hornets Odds

Chicago Bulls -3.5 (-110)

Charlotte Hornets +3.5 (-110)

Over 218 Points (-110)

Under 218 Points (-110)

Why The Bulls Could Cover The Spread

Bulls, Zach LaVine

The Chicago Bulls have lost four straight games, but have remained competitive and are now finally starting to get healthy again with little left to play in the regular season. Nikola Vucevic has been on and off of the injury list recently and Zach LaVine has missed an extended period of time due to COVID. With both listed as probable for this game, we may finally get a look at what this team could've done if they were at full strength over the past few weeks.

Chicago dropped its  last game against the East-leading Philadelphia 76ers by 12 points. The Bulls actually played fairly well in that game despite shooting just 41% from the field. Chicago has the upper-echelon talent necessary to win games and an exciting bench play that is capable of going on sparks against anyone's B-unit. The Bulls have played well on the road this season, going 20-13 ATS away from home.

Why The Hornets Could Cover The Spread

Hornets, LaMelo Ball

The Charlotte Hornets have remained competitive out east and are finally starting to get healthy at the perfect time. LaMelo Ball's return from the injured list couldn't have come at a better time as he adds a clear spark to this team that is refreshing, to say the least. What's most promising to see is the way that Charlotte has competed for all 48 minutes, even in their recent losses. The Hornets picked up a vital 3-point victory against the Pistons in their last game despite the shooting woes they faced throughout.

Charlotte was able to counter the poor shooting by playing a clean game with just eight turnovers throughout. The Hornets have a clear formula for success and a solid group of guys down the roster. The only reason this team isn't in a better position heading into the postseason is a dreadful case of bad luck. The latest domino to fall is Miles Bridges, who has entered the NBA health and safety protocol. Charlotte will need to shoot much better against a talented Bulls bunch if it wants to defend its home court. The Hornets are 17-13-1 at the Spectrum Center this season.

Final Bulls-Hornets Prediction & Pick

In a game that could ultimately come down to the wire, take the team that plays a cleaner style of basketball with more emphasis on the defensive end of the floor. The Charlotte Hornets are that team and are getting 3.5 points on their home floor. Charlotte allows opponents to score just 107 points per game at the Spectrum Center and the Bulls have failed to surpass 100 points in any of their previous four games coming in.

FINAL PICK: Charlotte Hornets +3.5  (-110)