The Chicago Bulls will head down to Florida to take on the Toronto Raptors for the second time this season. It’s time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Bulls-Raptors prediction and pick.
Chicago broke a 12-game losing streak against Toronto in a 118-95 victory against the Raptors back in March. The Bulls are coming off of a double-digit win in Indiana and are on a two-game winning streak after losing the first four games of the Nikola Vucevic era. Toronto is coming off a tough nine-point loss against the depleted Los Angeles Lakers and has shown little life down the stretch.
Here’s how sportsbooks have set the opening Bulls-Raptors odds.
NBA Odds: Bulls-Raptors Odds
Chicago Bulls -4 (-105)
Over 217 Points (-110)
Under 217 Points (-110)
Why The Bulls Could Cover The Spread
The Bulls have pulled off two impressive wins coming into this game. They defeated the Brooklyn Nets and Indiana Pacers in back-to-back games and now look like a team that could make some noise in the East. The Bulls sit in the 10th spot in the Eastern Conference standings and could make a move up, and a win over the 11th-place Raptors is crucial to doing so. The acquisition of Nikola Vucevic is starting to bear fruit, with the big man going for 32 points and 17 rebounds against Indiana.
Vucevic's impact was noticeable all over the court in the last win. Chicago outrebounded the Pacers 57-33 and shot 46.8% from the floor as a group. The All-Star big man also opened up the floor for his marksmen as they Bulls shot 42.4% from 3 in the win as well. Zach LaVine and three other Bulls scored in double figures. LaVine and Vucevic look like a dynamic duo that should be feared for their offensive prowess throughout the NBA. Watch out for Billy Donovan's Bulls.
Why The Raptors Could Cover The Spread
The Raptors are coming off a much-needed day of rest. Toronto suffered a devastating nine-point defeat on Tuesday as the Lakers came to Tampa and immediately sucked the life out of the building. The loss featured an on-court altercation and OG Anunoby's ejection. The Raptors are going through a severe slump and have shown no signs of turning any corners, with injuries continuing to hurt them during this brutal season.
Pascal Siakam has shown some signs of life of late after really struggling in his return from COVID-19, going for 27 points against the Lakers, albeit on a poor shooting performance. Chris Boucher had a nice outing as well, adding 19 points and nine boards. Another thing Toronto has to be very intrigued about is the recent play of rookie Malachi Flynn. Flynn played great defense for the Raptors in the loss, grabbing eight rebounds and two steals. One thing that Toronto has working for them is a 9-1 record in the last 10 head-to-head meetings with Chicago, though that means little given the current makeup of the rosters.
Final Bulls-Raptors Prediction & Pick
I'm taking the Bulls to cover this spread with the utmost confidence. Chicago's recent wins have shown the club is beginning to put all of the pieces together. Nikola Vucevic has catapulted this team into a new realm with his offensive versatility. The Bulls have the edge on the offensive end, the defensive end, and on the boards in Thursday's game. Toronto will be without Fred VanVleet and Kyle Lowry, who are two of their best players, so it's just hard to see them matching Chicago's firepower in this game.
FINAL PICK: Chicago Bulls -4 (-110)
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