Chicago Bulls vs Indiana Pacers NBA Betting Preview & Odds
Eastern Conference hoops and we will see the Chicago Bulls travel to Bankers Life Fieldhouse to take on the Indiana Pacers. Local TV will carry this game, which has a start time of 7:00 pm EST.
Current betting odds for this game have the have the Pacers listed as 7 point favorites, while the total has been set at 203.
Head-To-Head This Year: Chicago won the first meeting 96-95 as 6.5 point home favorites… Indiana won the 2nd meeting 104-92 as 3.5 point home favorites… Chicago won the 3rd meeting 102-100 in OT as 3 point home favorites.
The Bulls really look like they are out of gas as they come in having lost their 4th game in a row following a 102-100 setback at home to Atlanta on Monday night. With the loss the Bulls are now in 10th place in the Eastern Conference playoff standings, 2.5 games behind Detroit, which is in the 8th slot. This was a damaging loss for the Bulls as 6 of their last 9 games are on the road and they have gone just 12-23 on the road this year. Chicago has a healthy Derrick Rose this year and he has averaged 16.9 ppg, but it hasn’t really helped the Bulls all that much this year. Chicago is led by Jimmy Butler, who averages 21.2 ppg, while leading the team in rebounding is Pau Gasol at 11.0 rpg and he is 3rd on the team in scoring at 16.7 ppg. Rounding out the double digit scorers on the team is Nikola Mirotic at 10.6 ppg. The Bulls check in at 20th in the league in scoring, putting up 101.5 ppg, while also ranking 26th in shooting overall, 3rd from long range and 10th from the charity stripe. The defensive numbers are average at best as they come in ranked 16th in points allowed, giving up 103.2 ppg, while also ranking 7th defensive FG% overall and 6th in 3-point defense. On the road the Bulls have averaged 101.3 ppg on 43.9% shooting, while allowing 106.4 ppg on 45.2% shooting.
Trends: The Bulls are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 vs. the Central and 5-2 ATS in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600, but just 1-6 ATS the last 7 games in the series and 3-9 ATS in their last 12 road games.
The Indiana Pacers come in having won 3 of their last four games following a 104-101 home win over Houston on Sunday. All of their last three wins were right here at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, where they are now 23-13 on the year. The Pacers are 39-34 overall this year and right now are in the 7th slot in the East, with ba 3 point lead over both Washington and Chicago, who are tied for the 9th slot. They have some breathing room and their remaining schedule isn’t that tough with five of their last nine games at home and just 2 of the nine being vs teams that are will be in the playoffs. The Pacers are led by Paul George, who averages 23.4 ppg, which is 10th in the league. Monta Ellis is next at 14.1 ppg, while George Hill is 3rd at 12.2 ppg and is the team’s best long range threat hitting 40.4% of his shots from downtown. C.J. Miles (11.5 ppg) and Myles Turner (10.5 ppg) round out the double digit scorers on the team. Overall Indiana comes in ranked 19th in the league in scoring, putting up 101.8 ppg, while also ranking 17th in shooting overall, 17th from long range and 18th from the charity stripe. The defense is what leads this team as they are 7th in points allowed, giving up just 100.4 ppg, while also ranking 8th in defensive FG% and 3rd in 3-point defense. At home this year the Pacers have averaged 102.1 ppg on 45.1% shooting, while allowing 98.2 ppg on 44.4% shooting.
Trends: The Pacers are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 vs. the Central and 5-0 ATS the last 5 home games in the series, but just 2-6 ATS in their last 8 home games vs. a team with a losing road record and 1-6 ATS in their last 7 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.
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