Barclays Center will host NBA action on Tuesday for the second consecutive evening. One night after the Brooklyn Nets and Indiana Pacers faced off, the Nets will host the Chicago Bulls in an Eastern Conference tilt. Brooklyn (2-5) is struggling to begin the season, though the Nets defeated the Pacers on Monday, and Chicago is 3-4 overall after back-to-back losses. Zach LaVine (knee), Ayo Dosunmu (thoracic), and Coby White (quad) are listed as questionable for Chicago, with Andre Drummond (shoulder) and Lonzo Ball (knee) ruled out. Ben Simmons (knee), Seth Curry (ankle) and T.J. Warren (foot) are out for Brooklyn.
Caesars Sportsbook lists the Nets as 2-point favorites, and tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over/under, is 232 in the latest Nets vs. Bulls odds. Before you make any NBA predictions with the Bulls vs. Nets match-up, be sure to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past four seasons. The model enters Week 3 of the 2022-23 NBA season on a stunning 97-65 roll on all top-rated NBA picks that dates back to last season, returning more than $2,400. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Nets vs. Bulls. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA betting lines and trends for Bulls vs. Nets:
- Nets vs. Bulls spread: Nets -2
- Nets vs. Bulls over/under: 232 points
- Nets vs. Bulls money line: Nets -130, Bulls +110
- CHI: The Bulls are 20-25-2 against the spread in the last 47 road games
- BKN: The Nets are 4-10-1 against the spread in the last 15 games with no rest
- Nets vs. Bulls picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Bulls can cover
Chicago's offense is in a friendly position in this matchup. The Nets began the week with the worst defensive efficiency and worst defensive rebound rate in the NBA, and Brooklyn ranks in the bottom tier of the league in 3-point defense and free throw prevention. Chicago is in the top five of the NBA in free throw creation (27.7 attempts per game) and free throw accuracy (84.5%), with above-average 3-point shooting at 36.3% for the season. DeMar DeRozan leads the way with 25.9 points per game on 53% shooting, and he put up 27.9 points per contest in 2021-22.
On defense, the Bulls are leading the NBA in turnover creation, forcing 17.9 giveaways per game, and Chicago is in the top five of the league in free throw prevention (20.9 attempts per game) and steals (9.3 per game). The Bulls are also above-average in defensive rebound rate (73.5%) and 2-point shooting allowed (50.8%), with that recipe leading to only 1.11 points allowed per possession.
Why the Nets can cover
Brooklyn has a few advantages on paper despite facing a back-to-back situation against a team with more rest. The Nets can lean on Kevin Durant, who entered the week averaging more than 30 points per game after producing 29.9 points per game in 2021-22. Chicago's defense has struggled to contest shots this season, with opponents shooting 43.2% from 3-point range and 47.8% from the field in 2022-23. Opponents are also averaging 28.7 assists per game against the Bulls, and the Nets are in the top eight of the NBA in 2-point shooting, free throw creation, and turnover avoidance this season.
On defense, the Nets began the week leading the NBA in blocked shots (8.5 per game) with a top-five mark in 2-point defense, yielding fewer than 50% on attempts inside the arc. Chicago is in the bottom third of the NBA in field goal percentage (45.3%) and 2-point percentage (49.8%) this season, and the Bulls are only producing 23.7 assists per contest in 2022-23.
How to make Bulls vs. Nets picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 241 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits almost 60% of the time. See which side to back at SportsLine.
So who wins Nets vs. Bulls? And which side of the spread hits almost 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.
