In the front end of back-to-back games on Feb. 3, second-year head coach Billy Donovan and the Chicago Bulls are getting ready for a battle against head coach Nick Nurse and the Toronto Raptors. As one of the stingier teams that the Bulls faced recently, the Raptors will be looking for revenge against Chicago for a loss that came their way last month.
Donovan and the Bulls downed the Raptors at home at the United Center back on Jan. 26 in the last meeting between these two teams. The Bulls got the edge over the Raptors in that game by the final score of 111-105 after a big second-half rally by Toronto.
Moreover, the Bulls come into this game sporting a record of 32-18 having won two games in a row and four of their last five. Their last game resulted in a convincing 126-115 win over the struggling Orlando Magic at the UC on Feb. 1.
Meanwhile, the Raptors come into this meeting with the Bulls sporting a record of 26-23 following a Feb. 1 home win over the Miami Heat by the final score of 110-106. The Raptors won three games in a row and four of their last five heading into this meeting with the Bulls.
The Bulls are looking to push their winning streak to three games in this one while the Raptors will be looking to move their streak to four games.
Here’s a look into the betting odds and game prediction as the Bulls get set to take on the Raptors on the road at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, with tip-off time set for 6:30 p.m. CT on Feb. 3.
Chicago Bulls vs. Toronto Raptors betting odds
According to WynnBet, the Bulls are a 4.5-point underdog against the Raptors in this game. And the over/under is set at 222.5 points.
The ESPN matchup predictor gives the Bulls a 33.7 percent chance to beat the Raptors.
Chicago Bulls vs. Toronto Raptors prediction
There is one key injury news nugget to discuss ahead of this meeting between the Bulls and Raptors in Toronto. According to the latest NBA injury report on Feb. 3, the Bulls have star shooting guard Zach LaVine listed as “questionable” for this game with a right-back spasm.
The rest of the injury news and notes for this game come as expected for the Bulls and Raptors. One change for the Raptors in this meeting with the Bulls, though, compared to the last is the fact that star point guard Fred VanFleet will be available.
Missing VanFleet was obviously a detrimental void for the Raptors in the Jan. 26 loss to the Bulls.
If the Bulls either have LaVine absence or limited in this game, it would really hurt them. But Donovan and the Bulls might decide to mostly rest LaVine in this game since they have another one on Feb. 4 in the back end of this set of back-to-back games. And then, the Bulls have another set of back-to-back games on Feb. 6 and 7.
Either way, it looks like more of the scoring load in this game will be put on the shoulders of All-Star forward DeMar DeRozan. The former Raptors All-Star and two-time All-NBA Team selection DeRozan was really good for the Bulls in their win over Toronto on Jan. 26.
In the Bulls win over the Raptors last week, DeRozan registered 29 points on 58 percent shooting from the field, along with seven rebounds, and seven assists. He is hot for the Bulls during this recent win streak since sitting out against the Oklahoma City Thunder on a rest night back on Jan. 24.
DeRozan and the Bulls could really use a win in this one before battling the Central Division foe Indiana Pacers in the back end of this set of back-to-back games on Feb. 4. But this will be one of the more challenging games for the Bulls in the early portion of the February schedule.