Chicago Bulls vs. Brooklyn Nets: Betting odds and prediction
In the back end of back-to-back games on the night of Jan. 12, second-year head coach Billy Donovan and the Chicago Bulls are set to host the Brooklyn Nets and head coach Steve Nash at home at the United Center. This will be the third meeting of the regular season thus far between the Bulls and Nets.
The previous two meetings between the Bulls and Nets went in Chicago’s favor. And the Bulls can officially pull off the regular season series sweep of the Nets if they can top Brooklyn on Jan. 12.
Donovan and the Bulls come into this meeting with the Nets sporting a record of 27-11 following their dominant 46-point win over the Detroit Pistons at home on Jan. 11. The Bulls still hold the top spot in the Eastern Conference standings ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets after that win over the Pistons.
Meanwhile, the Nets come into this game sporting a record of 25-14 following their 114-107 loss on the road to the Portland Trail Blazers on Jan. 10. The Nets are struggling a good bit lately, losing two of their last three games and five of their last seven.
Here’s a look at the betting odds and game prediction as the Bulls get set to take on the Nets in the back end of back-to-back games at the United Center in Chicago on Jan. 12, with tip-off time set for 9 p.m. CT.
Chicago Bulls vs. Brooklyn Nets betting odds
According to WynnBet, the Bulls are a two-point favorite over the Nets in this game on Jan. 12. And the over/under is set at 234 points.
The ESPN matchup predictor gives the Bulls a 55.8 percent chance to beat the Nets.
Chicago Bulls vs. Brooklyn Nets prediction
In what promises to be one of the more important games of the regular season for the Bulls, it looks like this could be a serious momentum-builder heading into the second half of this campaign if this team notches a win on Jan. 12. The Bulls will be facing a Nets team that is stacked full of talent but has some injuries to note.
According to the most recent NBA injury report on the afternoon of Jan. 12, the Nets have star point guard Kyrie Irving listed as “questionable” with an ankle injury and superstar guard James Harden as “questionable” with a knee injury. Irving could make his first appearance of the season, though, for the Nets against the Bulls if he plays on this night.
Although, Irving did play in nearly 40 minutes in the Nets’ loss to the Blazers on Jan. 10. He’s played in two games so far this season. In those two games, he’s averaged around 22 points per game, six rebounds, four assists, two steals, and one block.
Meanwhile, Harden didn’t play for the Nets in the team’s Jan. 10 loss to the Blazers. If he doesn’t play against the Bulls on Jan. 12, it would be the second game he misses in a row for the Nets.
Depending on what limitations Harden and Kyrie have for the Nets in this game, the Bulls could get a leg up. The Bulls are as close to full strength as the team was for a good while now. Point guard Alex Caruso and shooting guard/forward Javonte Green are still out due to various reasons.
Yet, the Bulls saw the star duo of shooting guard Zach LaVine and forward DeMar DeRozan have an efficient night in the dominant win over the Pistons on Jan. 11. DeRozan will be a key to the Bulls beating the Nets for the third time this season.
DeRozan averaged around 29 points per game, five rebounds, and three assists in the Bulls’ first two wins over the Nets this season.
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This feels like another opportunity for DeRozan and the Bulls to separate themselves from the rest of the pack in the Eastern Conference standings as we near the halfway mark of the regular season. The Bulls have a big chance to make a statement on Jan. 12 if they can beat the Nets.