The Charlotte Hornets will take on the Chicago Bulls on Friday night. It's time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Hornets-Bulls prediction and pick.
The Hornets don't have all that much to play for in this game. Charlotte is pretty much locked into the tenth seed in the Eastern Conference, guaranteeing them a spot in the play-in tournament. The Bulls are in a similar situation, as they've pretty much locked themselves into the sixth seed. While there isn't much at stake here, this should still be an entertaining matchup between two playoff-caliber teams.
Here are the Hornets-Bulls NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Hornets-Bulls Odds
Charlotte Hornets: +2.5 (-110)
Chicago Bulls: -2.5 (-110)
Over: 235.5 (-110)
Under: 235.5 (-110)
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Why The Hornets Could Cover The Spread
Charlotte's offense should keep them in this game. The Hornets have been one of the better offenses in the NBA throughout the course of this season, averaging a whopping 115 points per game behind a fast-paced attack. Head coach James Borrego's squad shoots the third-most shots per game in the NBA, a factor that will play a part against a Bulls team that struggles to limit their opponents' possessions. Chicago hasn't been good at anything on the defensive end of the floor, as they allow 111 points per game on strong shooting percentages. It's hard to see the Bulls putting up a strong defensive effort here.
To make matters even better for the Hornets, it looks like they'll be playing a Bulls team that isn't fully healthy. Guards Alex Caruso and Zach LaVine are both questionable for this contest, and starting point guard Lonzo Ball was just ruled out for the rest of the season. If the Bulls are forced to play without both Caruso and LaVine, they'll be without one of their best scorers and one of their best defenders. Charlotte should be able to capitalize on those absences to cover at the very least.
Why The Bulls Could Cover The Spread
Chicago should have plenty of offensive success in this game, with or without LaVine. The Bulls don't score that many points per game, but they do shoot an insane 48% from the field. The Hornets have been just as bad as Chicago on defense, allowing 115 points per game on 46% shooting to their opponents. These teams have faced each other twice this season, and the Bulls scored 133 points in one matchup while dropping 121 points in the other. This is clearly a plus matchup for Chicago's offense, even with the injuries that are in play.
Unsurprisingly, Chicago has been fairly good at covering the spread this season. They own a 41-38-1 record against the spread and a 31-15-1 record ATS when they enter the game as favorites. The Bulls have an even better record when they enter the game as home favorites, as they've covered in 21 of 28 games in that situation. This looks like a pretty good spot to pick Chicago to defend their home floor.
Final Hornets-Bulls Prediction & Pick
Chicago has been covering in games like this one all season, and that won't change in this game. Lock in the Bulls to cover.
Final Hornets-Bulls Prediction & Pick: Chicago Bulls: -2.5 (-110)
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