The NBA is back! After a long offseason the NBA has returned and is in full swing. On Friday night, the New Orleans Pelicans will travel to take on the Chicago Bulls. It's time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Pelicans-Bulls prediction and pick.
While we're only one game into the season, fans have gotten glimpses at both of these teams. The Pelicans were underwhelming, losing by 20 points to a tough Philadelphia 76ers team, while the new-look Bulls came away with a win against Detroit. New Orleans and Chicago will battle it out on Friday in what should be a great game.
Here's how the bookmakers have set the line for Friday night's matchup.
NBA Odds: Pelicans-Bulls Odds
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New Orleans Pelicanss: +6.5 (-112)
Chicago Bulls: -6.5 (-108)
Over: 223 (-108)
Under: 223 (-112)
Why The Pelicans Could Cover The Spread
New Orleans has really come into its own over the past couple years. Even though Zion Williamson isn't playing right now this team can compete. They had to face a very good Philadelphia team on Wednesday night, but will look to bounce back against the Bulls. New Orleans had their weaknesses exposed in the loss to Chicago. If they can learn from that loss, regroup as a team, and come out firing, they should be able to get a win.
While Zion may attract the most attention to the Pelicans, we can't forget about a man by the name of Brandon Ingram. Ingram is a bonafide star. Once he joined the Pelicans in 2019 he truly grew into an amazing player. He consistently averages over 20 points per game and is a scoring threat anywhere on the court. His length makes him difficult to guard and he is able to create shots and opportunities for himself. He was adequate in the season opener, but will look to dominate in game two.
Another bright spot for this New Orleans team is Nickeil Alexander-Walker. The young guard is entering his third year in the NBA and is a top candidate to have a breakout season. In the season opener he played 34 minutes and put up 23 points. If he continues to get that type of playing time fans should expect to see his production go way up. Alexander-Walker proved on Wednesday night that he can be an impact player for the Pelicans. New Orleans should feel good about the future of this team and be ready for a very competitive Friday night game.
Why The Bulls Could Cover The Spread
The Chicago Bulls had a busy offseason. Headlining the new additions to the team are Lonzo Ball and DeMar Derozan. The revamped Bulls were on display Wednesday night and they took down the Detroit Pistons. This team will definitely need to iron out some kinks, but once they do the Bulls will be able to compete with any team in the league.
Ball and Derozan both had underwhelming debuts for the Bulls. Neither player exceeded 20 points or shot above 50% from the field. Ball went 5-for-12 and managed 12 points, while Derozan went 8-for-17 and put up 17 points. Those numbers may seem discouraging but shouldn't be the norm for the new members of the Bulls. Despite poor performances from two key starters, the Bulls still came out ahead. Ball and Derozan are both great players and once this team starts to click it will be very fun to watch. Look for the new guys to bounce back against New Orleans.
The leader and face of the Bulls is undoubtedly Zach LaVine, who carried the squad on Wednesday night. He went 11-for-17 and put up 34 points, leading his team to a win. LaVine has cemented himself as one of the best players in the NBA. Constantly improving his game, there are no signs that the eighth-year guard is slowing down. He averaged career-highs across the board last year. If the Pelicans fail to limit LaVine's scoring then they have little hope of coming out ahead. Bulls fans should expect a lot from LaVine because he is more than capable of delivering.
Final Pelicans-Bulls Prediction & Pick
Both of these teams had underwhelming starts to the season. The Pelicans got beat handedly by Philadelphia. Chicago managed to win but mostly underperformed. New Orleans' loss was more concerning. Without Zion, it's tough for this Pelicans team to compete with some of the better teams in the league. New Orleans is probably on pace to lose this one to Chicago. The Bulls just need to figure out their chemistry, which takes time when new players are added to the roster. Still, the Bulls are the better team—pick Chicago to win and cover.
FINAL PICK: Chicago Bulls -6.5 (-108)
FINAL SCORE PREDICTION: Bulls 108 – Pelicans 96
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