The Toronto Raptors head to the United Center to take on the Chicago Bulls. The game starts at 8:00 pm ET on Friday, Mar. 20 and will air on SNN and WGN.
The Bulls beat the Pacers 103-86 on Wednesday. Nikola Mirotic led all scorers with 25 points on 8-for-15 shooting. The Raptors, meanwhile, are coming off a 105-100 win over the Timberwolves on Wednesday. DeMar DeRozan shot 4-for-14 and led in scoring with 21 points.
Over the last five games, Mirotic has been playing at a high level for the Bulls. During that stretch, he has averaged 20.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.4 steals, 1.2 blocks, and 1.8 three-pointers. Kyle Lowry has also been on a tear in the same span, averaging 18.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 2.6 steals, and 3.4 three-pointers while leading the Raptors.
The Raptors should minimize miscues in this matchup. They rank third in the NBA at avoiding errors (turnover percentage of 12.6%). Meanwhile, the Bulls force the fewest mistakes in the league, with just 12.0% of opponents’ possessions ending in a turnover.
The Bulls have won both contests against the Raptors this season, including a 129-120 victory in their last matchup. Jimmy Butler recorded a double-double with 27 points and 11 rebounds.
The odds are even for this game and the Over/Under (O/U) is currently unavailable. The Bulls enter the game with records of 41-28 Straight Up (SU) and 31-38 Against The Spread (ATS). They have gone 24-15 SU and 18-21 ATS against teams from the Eastern Conference. Chicago has gotten to the free throw line often this season. They average 19 made free throws per game, which is second-best in the NBA. The Bulls have a distinct advantage on the boards in this matchup. They are the third-ranked rebounding team in the NBA, averaging 45.9 per game, while the Raptors rank 26th in the league with 41.6 per game. Turning to the defensive side, an area where the Bulls are particularly strong is shot blocking, where they average 6.0 blocks per game, fifth in the NBA.
On the other side, the Raptors head into the game with records of 31-36-1 ATS and 41-27 SU. In Eastern Conference games, Toronto has gone 28-13 SU and 21-20 ATS. The Raptors are the top-ranked scoring offense when playing on the road, averaging 106.2 points per game so far. Toronto is one of the top foul-shooting teams in the league, converting .786 of their shots from the line. Don’t expect Toronto to give away the ball much on offense, where its 12.2 turnovers per game ranks third in the league.
Chicago won the last meeting this season between these two teams, bringing its SU record to 6-4 over the Raptors in the last 10 games. The Raptors hold the advantage ATS with a record of 6-4. Chicago topped the Raptors in three key areas (field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers) twice over the last 10. Toronto has never had the edge in all categories.
Predictions: SU Winner – CHI, ATS Winner – CHI
Notes
The Toronto Raptors are among the highest-scoring squads, earning an average of 104.5 points per game (ranked fifth), while the Chicago Bulls are in the top half of NBA teams in points allowed with 98.8 (ranked 11th).
Chicago has allowed an average of 99.1 points per home game this season. Toronto averages 106.2 points per away game, placing the team at the top of the NBA in scoring.
When allowing fewer than 100 points, the Raptors are 23-5 on the season. When the Bulls score fewer than 100, they are a losing 11-19.
When the Toronto Raptors allow at least 100 points they are 18-22, while the Chicago Bulls are 30-9 when they reach the century mark.
The Raptors have the fourth-best offensive rating in the NBA (107.6). The Bulls are also in the top half of the league based on their defensive rating of 101.9 (ranked 13th).
The Toronto Raptors average a field goal percentage of 45.3% this season. The Chicago Bulls have a poor record of 11-17 when opponents have a FG% of 45.3% or greater.
The Toronto Raptors rank lower for their field goal percentage (14th) than their effective field goal percentage (ninth), while the Chicago Bulls rank the same for both metrics (21st).
Chicago makes an average of 21.5 assists per game (ranked 16th), while Toronto makes 20.8 assists per game (ranked 21st).
The Chicago Bulls average 6.0 blocks per game for a rank of fifth. The Toronto Raptors rank lower (22nd), earning 4.5 blocks each game.
The Chicago Bulls rank seventh in offensive rebounding, while the Toronto Raptors rank 27th in defensive rebounding.
The Toronto Raptors make an average of 7.7 steals per game. When the Chicago Bulls allow 7 or more steals, they are a winning 28-16.
