In their second game out of the All-Star Break, the Chicago Bulls and second-year head coach Billy Donovan will face the Memphis Grizzlies and star point guard Ja Morant. As they look to extend their six-game winning streak to seven on Feb. 26, the Grizzlies stand in the Bulls’ way.
The Bulls come into this game with a record of 39-21 through their first 60 games of the regular season. Their last game resulted in a close 112-108 win at home at the United Center over the Atlanta Hawks on the night of Feb. 24.
Meanwhile, the Grizzlies are one of the better teams in the NBA this season. They’re looking like a true contender coming out of the Western Conference. Following a Feb. 24 119-114 loss on the road to the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Grizzlies hold a record of 40-21. The Grizzlies have lost two games in a row heading into this one.
Here’s a look into the betting odds and game prediction as the Bulls are set to host the Grizzlies at the United Center in Chicago on Feb. 26, with tip-off time set for 7 p.m. CT.
Chicago Bulls vs. Memphis Grizzlies betting odds
According to WynnBet, the Bulls are a two-point underdog against the Grizzlies in this game. The over/under is set at 237.5 points.
The ESPN matchup predictor gives the Bulls a 44.9 percent chance to beat the Grizzlies.
Chicago Bulls vs. Memphis Grizzlies prediction
There aren’t really any major injury updates to speak of for the Bulls in this game. The same could be said for the Grizzlies for the most part.
That leaves the matchup between Morant and five-time All-Star forward DeMar DeRozan as the one to watch for each respective team offensively in this game. Star shooting guard and center Nikola Vucevic will still be crucial against the likes of rising star forward Jaren Jackson Jr. and sharpshooting wing Desmond Bane.
DeRozan is in a position where he can extend his streak of 35+ point games while shooting at least 50 percent from thefield to nine games if he can get this feat accomplished against the Grizzlies. He had a game-high 37 points in the Bulls’ win over the Hawks on Feb. 24 while shooting 15-of-21 from the field.
LaVine did come out of the All-Star Break a bit slow for the Bulls, though. He shot just 7-of-17 from the field and didn’t make as much of an impact on the Bulls as others such as rookie point guard Ayo Dosunmu and big man Tristan Thompson against the Hawks.
If DeRozan is able to outpace the production offensively of Morant, that will go a long way to helping the Bulls come out on top in this one. It would be a big feat for the Bulls to get their 40th win of the season before March rolls around.