Chicago Bulls vs. Indiana Pacers: Spread, Line, Odds, Predictions, and Algorithm Picks from the SportsGrid Betting Model
Chicago Bulls vs. Indiana Pacers News and Notes
It's a matchup of top and bottom in the Eastern Conference as the top-seeded Bulls will look to return to the win column in a matchup with the 13th-place Indiana Pacers.
This matchup may very well be decided from beyond the arc. Chicago currently ranks number one in the NBA in three-point percentage while Indiana sits at a lowly 25th, a discrepancy that will make it an uphill battle for the Pacers from the jump. If the Bulls begin to catch fire from the perimeter in this one, it could get ugly quick, and this spread may be plenty covered by the third quarter.
Availability continues to be an issue for the Pacers as they will be without six players, including star forward Domantas Sabonis (health and safety protocols), guard Malcolm Brogdon (Achilles), and center Myles Turner (foot). Between the three of them, that leaves over 50 points per game out of the starting lineup and will force the Pacers to give minutes to undrafted rookies like Keifer Sykes and Terry Taylor. Although the two have done well in taking advantage of their opportunities, it's difficult to see them keeping it close against one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. The fair moneyline of -310 and an expected margin of +8.1 seem to factor this in, and with an actual moneyline of -136 and a spread of -2.5, there's certainly value to be had on Chicago in this spot.
When looking at the total, the under may seem attractive purely based on how tough an outing it may become for the Pacers. With that many points missing from the team's rotation, it will be challenging to keep up with the Bulls. Indiana will undoubtedly look to keep things from getting towards a shootout because they know they won't be able to win that way, and it could cause a slower-paced game with some lulls in scoring. An expected total of 224 makes some sense with some star names missing and gives value towards an actual under of 230 on the FanDuel Sportsbook.
All NBA predictions and picks are courtesy of SportsGrid
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