Toronto Raptors vs. Chicago Bulls Prediction, NBA Odds
The Toronto Raptors say goodbye to the City of Chicago for this NBA season when they visit former Raptor DeMar DeRozan and the Bulls on Monday night. Chicago is a 3.5-point favourite to win on the NBA odds.
Raptors vs. Bulls NBA Betting Odds
It’s not impossible for these teams to meet in the NBA playoffs, maybe even the play-in tournament if the Bulls keep struggling and fall out of the top six in the East. That’s unlikely barring injury.
The Bulls lead the season series 2-1 but lost the most recent one 127-120 in overtime at Scotiabank Arena on Feb. 3. Scottie Barnes had a tip-in with less than one second remaining in regulation to tie it. DeRozan is averaging 27.7 points, 6.7 assists and 6.0 rebounds in the series. Nikola Vucevic is putting up 21.3 points and 13.7 rebounds, and Zach LaVine 20.0 points and 6.7 assists.
OG Anunoby is averaging 22.0 points in the series for Toronto, Gary Trent Jt. 22.0 points, and Pascal Siakam (missed one game) 18.5 points, 10.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists. The Raptors are 0-4 against the spread in their past four in Chicago.
Toronto Raptors
Playing without Fred VanVleet and Anunoby on Sunday, the Raptors nonetheless upset the 76ers in Philadelphia, 93-88, their sixth straight road win. Siakam had 26 points and 10 rebounds, and Precious Achiuwa scored 21 points. Anunoby won’t play tonight but there’s a good chance VanVleet will as he’s from Rockford, Ill., and surely will want to. Toronto is now just one game behind Cleveland for the No. 6 spot in the East to avoid the play-in tournament. The Dinos are 1.5 games behind No. 5 Chicago. Toronto is 10-4 ATS in its past 14 in the second of a back-to-back.
Chicago Bulls
The Bulls have been terrible on defence of late, allowing 122 points per game during a three-game skid. That unit should improve Monday with the return of second-year forward Patrick Williams from surgery. Williams, the No. 4 pick in the 2020 NBA draft, has not played since Oct. 28 and was averaging 6.6 points on 56.5 per cent shooting and 2.2 rebounds in five games. Williams was a starter but is expected to come off the bench for now and will have a minutes restriction. Starting point guard Lonzo Ball, another plus defender, has been out weeks and isn’t close to a return. DeRozan leads the Bulls in averaging 27.8 points, which is No. 6 in the NBA. He and fellow All-Star LaVine (24.5 ppg) are the league’s highest-scoring duo. Chicago is 10-4 ATS in its past 14 at home.
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