The Atlanta Hawks (13-31) clash against the Chicago Bulls (17-28) at Philips Arena. The game can be seen on WGN Channel 9 at 5 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 20, 2018.
Chicago Bulls vs. Atlanta Hawks Betting Prediction
The last time the Bulls played, they were beaten by the Golden State Warriors, 119-112. Golden State was effective at getting and making free throws. The Warriors made 22 of their 25 free throws (88.0 percent), while the Bulls were 12-13 (92.3 percent). Nikola Mirotic led Chicago in scoring with 24 points on 9-for-13 shooting.
The Hawks barely escaped the New Orleans Pelicans in their last game, 94-93. Atlanta’s 9.5 turnover percentage was their biggest advantage over New Orleans, who had a mark of 12.0. The Hawks’ mark was better than their season average of 13.9. With 13 points and 15 assists, Dennis Schroder played well for Atlanta.
Getting to the line might be rare for Atlanta in this showdown. The Hawks rank 20th in the league with a free throw attempt (FTA) rate of 0.187, while Chicago ranks ninth in FTA rate allowed (0.179). Furthermore, the Bulls rank fifth in turnover percentage (13.0 percent), while the Hawks rank second in opponents’ turnover percentage (15.8 percent).
Both teams have had a player step their game up over their last five games. Lauri Markkanen (19.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals) has been great for the Bulls while Schroder (24.8 points, 6.0 assists and 1.4 steals) has made solid contributions to the Hawks.
This is the second game of the season between these two teams. Mike Muscala had 14 points and 10 rebounds in the first matchup, in which the Hawks lost 91-86, unable to cover as 2-point underdogs. The game finished with a total of 177 points, which was 22.5 points below the projected point total of 199.5 points. Chicago out-rebounded Atlanta. The Bulls had 18 offensive rebounds and 62 total rebounds, while the Hawks had seven and 40, respectively.
Chicago Bulls vs. Atlanta Hawks Betting Pick
Predictions: SU Winner – Hawks, ATS Winner – Hawks, O/U – Over
Notes
Betting Notes:
Chicago is 13-8-1 ATS on the road with 15 overs and 7 unders.
Atlanta is 12-9 ATS at home with 11 overs, 9 unders and 1 push.
Atlanta is 6-3 when they allow under 100 points, while Chicago is 5-5.
The Hawks are 12-18 when they score over 100 points, while the Bulls are 15-12.
Atlanta ranks third in points off turnovers per game (18.6) while Chicago ranks 27th (14.6).
The Bulls average 23.7 assists per game, which ranks fifth in the NBA. The Hawks rank 29th in assists allowed per game (25.6).
Chicago ranks ninth in rebounds per game (44.6) while Atlanta ranks 25th (40.9).
The Bulls average 30.5 three pointers per game, which ranks eighth in the league. The Hawks rank 23rd in three pointers allowed per game (30.8).
Atlanta ranks 11th in second chance points per game (13.1) while Chicago ranks 26th (10.3).
The Hawks rank 23rd in blocks per game (4.1) while the Bulls rank 27th (3.7).
Chicago averages 10.8 fast break points per game, which ranks 15th in the NBA. Atlanta ranks 18th in fast break points allowed per game (11.9).
The Hawks are 27th in the league with 40.9 points in the paint per game while the Bulls are 28th with 40.8 points in the paint per game.
Betting Trends:
In their last five games, Chicago is 4-1 ATS with 4 overs and 1 under.
Atlanta is 4-1 ATS with 3 unders and 2 overs over their last five games.
The Bulls’ average margin of defeat in their last five games has been 0.6, down from 5.6 for the season.
During their last five games, the Hawks have scored an average of 103.6 points per game (0.1 below their season average) and allowed an average of 101.4 points per game (6.3 below their season average).
