The Chicago Bulls are just half a game out of the play-in tournament in the Eastern Conference, and they have quietly played some solid basketball over the last 10 games.
The Bulls picked up a 20-point win over the Washington Wizards on Sunday, and they rank fourth in the NBA in net rating over their last 10 games.
Now, they have a road date with the Toronto Raptors, who have snuck into the No. 9 spot in the East by winning seven of their last 10 games. Toronto is favored in this game, looking to add to a 15-11 ATS record as home favorites this season.
Fred VanVleet (personal) is expected to be back in the lineup, but are the Bulls being undervalued as 4.5-point dogs?
Here’s my pick and the latest odds for this game:
Bulls vs. Raptors odds, spread and total
Bulls vs. Raptors prediction and pick
The Raptors are making a run in the East right now, but they still rank 18th in the NBA in net rating over their last 10 games, well behind Chicago in that same stretch.
Even though the Bulls have a worse record in those 10 games, they are defending at a high level, ranking No. 2 in the NBA in defensive rating over their last 10 and No. 6 on the season.
Chicago has also been serviceable as a road underdog, going 11-9-1 against the spread.
The Bulls need every game they can get down the stretch of this season, and the addition of Patrick Beverley has given them some much-needed guard depth. He should match up well with VanVleet, and the Bulls ultimately can keep this game close with defense.
—
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.