The Chicago Bulls host a contest against the Charlotte Hornets at the United Center. Action begins at 8:00 pm ET on Monday, Mar. 23 and can be seen on SPSO and WGN.
The Bulls are are expecting a better outcome after their 107-91 loss to the Pistons on Saturday. Despite the loss, Pau Gasol earned his 46th double-double this season with 27 points and 10 rebounds. The Hornets, meanwhile, are feeling some disappointment after the 101-91 loss against the Kings on Friday. Kemba Walker had a good game for Charlotte, registering 18 points, five rebounds, and four steals.
Nikola Mirotic has taken his game to another level over the last five games for the Bulls. During that stretch, he has averaged 20.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.0 steal, 1.8 blocks, and 1.8 three-pointers.
The Bulls defense could make it difficult on Charlotte’s shooters. They rank third in the NBA in forcing misses (opponents’ effective field goal percentage of 47.6%), while the Charlotte offense is 29th with a mark of 45.8%. The Hornets should also expect to protect the ball well. They rank first at avoiding errors (turnover percentage of 11.7%). Conversely, the Bulls force the fewest turnovers in the league (opponents’ turnover percentage of 11.8%).
The Hornets lead the season series against the Bulls two games to one, including a 101-91 win the last time these two teams met. Gerald Henderson had a standout performance in the victory, putting up 20 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and one three-pointer.
The odds for Chicago and Charlotte are even, while the Over/Under (O/U) is currently unavailable. The Bulls have gone 42-29 Straight Up (SU) and 32-39 Against The Spread (ATS). They are 25-16 SU and 19-22 ATS against the Eastern Conference. The Bulls are one of the best in the NBA in terms of free throw percentage, shooting an impressive .787 from the free throw line. Chicago’s three-point defense can be considered one of the best in the league, allowing just 6.3 three-pointers per game. Opponents have consistently had their shots rejected by the Bulls, ranking fifth in the league in blocks per game with 5.9.
Over on the other bench, the Hornets have a record of 32-33-2 ATS and 29-38 SU. Against the Eastern Conference, Charlotte is 22-17 SU and 21-16-2 ATS. The Hornets are the better of the two teams when it comes to assist-to-turnover ratio, ranking fourth in the NBA at 1.8.
With the Hornets’ last win against Chicago, Charlotte moved closer to evening up its record against Chicago. It now stands at 4-6 SU over the last 10 meetings. The Hornets lead the matchup ATS with a record of 6-4. Over the last 10 matchups, Chicago held the advantage in field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers four times. Charlotte performed this feat one time.
Predictions: SU Winner – CHI, ATS Winner – CHI
Notes
On average, Charlotte scores 94.6 points per game (ranked 28th), while Chicago allows 98.8 points per game (ranked 11th).
Charlotte puts up an average of 94.1 points per away game (ranked 26th), while Chicago allows 98.9 points per home game (ranked 18th).
In games where they allow fewer than 100 points, the Charlotte Hornets are a solid 23-14. In games where they score fewer than 100 points, the Chicago Bulls have a poor record of 11-20.
When allowing 100 or more points in a game, the Hornets are just 6-24 this season. Chicago is a superb 31-9 when registering triple digits.
The Hornets have an offensive rating of 97.8 (ranked 28th), while the Bulls rank 13th for their defensive rating of 102.1.
Chicago has an average field goal percentage of 44.0%. Charlotte is an abysmal 8-26 when opponents have a similar or higher field goal percentage.
On average, Chicago attempts 22.1 three pointers and Charlotte attempts 18.4 per game. In games where the teams have 25 or more three point attempts, the Bulls have an 11-13 record while the Hornets have a losing 1-2 record.
The Charlotte Hornets are among the best in the league with an assist to turnover ratio of 1.82 (ranked fourth). Ranking 15th, the Chicago Bulls have an A/TO of 1.63.
Chicago ranks near the top of the NBA for rebounds at third (45.9 per game), while Charlotte ranks 10th with 44.0 per game.
The Charlotte Hornets rank 25th in offensive rebounding, while the Chicago Bulls rank sixth in defensive rebounding.
Chicago has forced an average turnover percentage of 11.8% this season. Charlotte has a losing 14-22 record when its TOV% is 11.8% or higher.
