The NBA play-in tournament has added some excitement to the postseason format and the games are fun to watch, but the risk incurred are situations like this one. The Eastern Conference is, generally, not quite as strong as the West. A 10 vs. 9 play-in game is going to feature teams with mediocre records. Is it crazy that the Atlanta Hawks, who are 36-46, could be a playoff team? Yes, but it is what it is.

The host Bulls are favoured, albeit slightly, at -3.5 on the NBA odds.

Hawks (10) vs. Bulls (9) NBA Betting Odds

The Hawks and Bulls rumbled thrice this past season, with the Illinois-based outfit claiming two of those games. They also won as the road team once, with Atlanta defending home court most recently on April 1.

Both of these sides are coming in with a slew of banged-up and missing players. Atlanta might not have Seth Lundy (ankle) nor Wesley Matthews (hamstring). We know that both Onyeka Okongwu (toe) and Jalen Johnson (ankle) are definitely out. Saddiq Bey (ACL) has been gone since late March. At least Trae Young is back. His presence didn’t stop the losing slide at the end of the campaign, which is now at six games. Not a whole to be impressed about vis-à-vis the spread here, as Atlanta only went 29-53 this season.

Are the Bulls a significantly better team? Not necessarily but at least they showed a few more bursts of energy this year. That being said, they too are riddled with injuries. Ayo Dosunmu (quad), Andre Drummond (ankle), Julian Phillips (foot) might all miss this game. As we know, Lonzo Ball is out for the year. Inconsistency is the modus operandi for a team that finished 39-43. They didn’t string together a significant winning streak outright or versus the spread this season, ergo the 41-40-1 ATS tally.

Atlanta Hawks (10)

There was a fascinating article over at The Athletic earlier this season, right around the trade deadline, that highlighted how little the Atlanta Hawks management has done to improve the roster. It is largely last year’s team, and last year’s was average at best, poor at worst.

Consider that Atlanta has a play-in ticket as the 28^th ranked defence (120.5 points). Incidentally enough, they are also exactly 28^th in overall opponent field goal efficiency and three-point shooting. Young has only been back for a few games, so one wonders if there is still rust to shave off – a bad time for that to be the case. Dejounte Murray had a solid season (22.5 points, 6.4 assists, 5.3 boards), and Bogdan Bogdanovic is a nice third option (16.9 points). Clint Capela is their main guy around the rim (11.5).

There is no doubt this team can score (118.3, fifth league-wide) but they’re so bad on defence it almost doesn’t matter. Otherwise they wouldn’t be 10 games under .500.

Chicago Bulls (9)

We just talked about how passive Hawks management has been lately, yet the same can be said about the Bulls’ managerial maneuvering. This 2023-24 play-in squad doesn’t differ much from the one that was in the same spot 12 months ago. This time DeMar DeRozan doesn’t have a road game in Toronto to get hyped up for.

We kid, of course. DeRozan is the undisputed offensive machine (24.0 points) on a team that is, by and large, mediocre when attacking (22^nd with 112.3 points on average). Watch out for Coby White, who had a breakout season of sorts, averaging 19.1 points a game, far and away his best numbers. Nikola Vucevic is dependable in the paint (18.0 points, 10.5 boards) and Alex Caruso is a little spark plug, with 1.7 steals a game.

If anything can trip up the Bulls, it is their propensity to stall on offence. Atlanta’s defence is atrocious, but somebody still has to put the ball through the hoop.

NBA Play-In Prediction: Who Will Win Hawks vs. Bulls?

• Regular Season

Hawks Team Leaders

ATL

Points	Trae Young 25.72
Assists	Trae Young 10.8
Rebounds	Clint Capela 10.63
FG%	Onyeka Okongwu 61.1
Steals	Dejounte Murray 1.42
Blocks	Clint Capela 1.45

CHI

Points	DeMar DeRozan 24.01
Assists	DeMar DeRozan 5.33
Rebounds	Nikola Vucevic 10.54
FG%	Andre Drummond 55.6
Steals	Alex Caruso 1.69
Blocks	Alex Caruso 0.99

• Regular Season

Bulls Team Leaders

ATL

Points	Trae Young 25.72
Assists	Trae Young 10.8
Rebounds	Clint Capela 10.63
FG%	Onyeka Okongwu 61.1
Steals	Dejounte Murray 1.42
Blocks	Clint Capela 1.45

CHI

Points	DeMar DeRozan 24.01
Assists	DeMar DeRozan 5.33
Rebounds	Nikola Vucevic 10.54
FG%	Andre Drummond 55.6
Steals	Alex Caruso 1.69
Blocks	Alex Caruso 0.99

Injuries

Atlanta

Clint Capela (C)

Out Sun Rest - 14 / 04 / 24

De'Andre Hunter (PF)

Out Wed Rest - 10 / 04 / 24

Dejounte Murray (PG)

Ques Fri Quadricep - 10 / 04 / 24

Wesley Matthews (SG)

Prob Wed Hamstring - 10 / 04 / 24

Jalen Johnson (SF)

Early May Ankle - 09 / 04 / 24

Seth Lundy (SG)

Out indefinitely Ankle - 06 / 04 / 24

Dejounte Murray (PG)

Ques Thurs Back - 28 / 03 / 24

Dejounte Murray (PG)

Ques Wed Back - 26 / 03 / 24

Onyeka Okongwu (PF)

Mid May Toe - 22 / 03 / 24

Wesley Matthews (SG)

Prob Thurs Illness - 20 / 03 / 24

Chicago

Alex Caruso (SG)

Prob Fri Ankle - 18 / 04 / 24

Ayo Dosunmu (PG)

Prob Fri Quadricep - 18 / 04 / 24

Andre Drummond (C)

Prob Fri Ankle - 18 / 04 / 24

Onuralp Bitim (SF)

out for season Eye - 16 / 04 / 24

Onuralp Bitim (SF)

Prob Sun Wrist - 13 / 04 / 24

Alex Caruso (SG)

Prob Sun Ankle - 12 / 04 / 24

DeMar DeRozan (SG)

Out Fri Rest - 12 / 04 / 24

Nikola Vucevic (C)

Out Fri Rest - 12 / 04 / 24

Alex Caruso (SG)

Prob Thurs Ankle - 10 / 04 / 24

Andre Drummond (C)

Prob Wed Ankle - 09 / 04 / 24

Injuries

Atlanta

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Clint Capela (C)	Out Sun	Rest - 14 / 04 / 24	1-1	1-1	+ -
Capela will not be available for Sunday's matchup versus the Pacers as he will be given a day of rest.
De'Andre Hunter (PF)	Out Wed	Rest - 10 / 04 / 24	1-3	3-1	+ -
Hunter will not be active for Wednesday's tilt versus the Hornets as he will be given a day of rest.
Dejounte Murray (PG)	Ques Fri	Quadricep - 10 / 04 / 24	1-3	3-1	+ -
Murray sat out the previous game with a right quad contusion, and it is uncertain if he will be active for Friday's clash with the Timberwolves.
Wesley Matthews (SG)	Prob Wed	Hamstring - 10 / 04 / 24	1-3	3-1	+ -
Matthews is battling right hamstring soreness, but it is anticipated that he will face the Bulls in the Eastern Conference Play-in tournament.
Jalen Johnson (SF)	Early May	Ankle - 09 / 04 / 24	1-4	4-1	+ -
Johnson was absent from the last contest with a right ankle sprain, and he is not expected to return to the court for at least three weeks.
Seth Lundy (SG)	Out indefinitely	Ankle - 06 / 04 / 24	1-5	4-2	+ -
Lundy is out of action with left ankle soreness, and it remains to be seen when he will return to the lineup.
Dejounte Murray (PG)	Ques Thurs	Back - 28 / 03 / 24	4-7	8-3	+ -
Murray is nursing lower-back soreness, and it is unknown if he will suit up Thursday versus the Celtics.
Dejounte Murray (PG)	Ques Wed	Back - 26 / 03 / 24	5-7	9-3	+ -
Murray is hampered by lower-back soreness, and it is uncertain if he will suit up Wednesday against the Trail Blazers.
Onyeka Okongwu (PF)	Mid May	Toe - 22 / 03 / 24	6-9	12-3	+ -
Okongwu is idle with a left big toe sprain, and he will remain out of the lineup until at least the middle of May.
Wesley Matthews (SG)	Prob Thurs	Illness - 20 / 03 / 24	6-9	12-3	+ -
Matthews is laid up with an illness, but it is likely that he will face the Suns in Thursday's showdown.

Chicago

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Alex Caruso (SG)	Prob Fri	Ankle - 18 / 04 / 24	1-0	1-0	+ -
Caruso is laid up with an ankle sprain, but it is predicted that he will take on the Heat in Friday's showdown.
Ayo Dosunmu (PG)	Prob Fri	Quadricep - 18 / 04 / 24	1-0	1-0	+ -
Dosunmu is tending to a right quad contusion, but it is not expected to impact his status for Friday's clash against the Heat.
Andre Drummond (C)	Prob Fri	Ankle - 18 / 04 / 24	1-0	1-0	+ -
Drummond is nursing a left ankle sprain, but it is forecasted that he will face the Heat on Friday.
Onuralp Bitim (SF)	out for season	Eye - 16 / 04 / 24	1-0	1-0	+ -
Bitim will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a detached retina in his right eye.
Onuralp Bitim (SF)	Prob Sun	Wrist - 13 / 04 / 24	2-0	2-0	+ -
Bitim is tending to left wrist soreness, but it is not expected to impact his status Sunday against the Knicks.
Alex Caruso (SG)	Prob Sun	Ankle - 12 / 04 / 24	3-0	3-0	+ -
Caruso missed the last match with a left ankle contusion, but it is predicted that he will take on the Knicks on Sunday.
DeMar DeRozan (SG)	Out Fri	Rest - 12 / 04 / 24	3-0	3-0	+ -
DeRozan will miss Friday's battle against the Wizards for rest purposes.
Nikola Vucevic (C)	Out Fri	Rest - 12 / 04 / 24	3-0	3-0	+ -
Vucevic is taking a day of rest, and he will be unavailable against the Wizards on Friday.
Alex Caruso (SG)	Prob Thurs	Ankle - 10 / 04 / 24	3-1	4-0	+ -
Caruso has a left ankle contusion, but it is expected that he will suit up for Thursday's matchup with the Pistons.
Andre Drummond (C)	Prob Wed	Ankle - 09 / 04 / 24	3-2	4-1	+ -
Drummond is hindered by a left ankle sprain, but it is expected that he will participate in the Eastern Conference Play-in tournament versus the Hawks.