Hawks vs. Bulls prediction and odds for Tuesday, April 4 (Trust Chicago at home)

The Chicago Bulls are playing their best basketball of the season ahead of the postseason.

Chicago is on track to make the play-in tournament and will host the Atlanta Hawks, another team in between No. 7 and No. 10 seeds, in a potential play-in preview.

The Hawks have been hanging around .500 for a majority of the season and still can’t find an identity on defense, will that be its downfall on Tuesday night?

Here are the odds and our best bets:

Hawks vs. Bulls odds, spread and total

Hawks vs. Bulls prediction and pick

The Hawks defense has been bottom 10 in terms of points allowed per 100 possessions all season long, and it’s actually gotten worse over the last month with Quinn Snyder in charge. The team is 27th in defensive rating, ahead of only the Spurs, Rockets and Pacers.

The team has been lifted up by a top five offense in that same time span, but it’s going to run into issues against a more complete Bulls team that is fifth in points allowed per 100 possessions over the last month.

We know all about the offensive talent of DeMar DeRozan and Zach Lavine, but the defense has taken the step forward for the roster that is 9-5 over its last 14 games dating back to March 4.

That’ll be the difference in this one and while I’ll back Chicago to take care of business at home on Tuesday. The Hawks defense can’t stop anybody, and it’s offense can’t bail the team out when facing an elite defense like Chicago.

Lay it with the Bulls.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.