Kings vs. Bulls Odds
| Kings Odds | -1 |
| Bulls Odds | +1 |
| Over/Under | 239 |
| Time | 8 p.m. ET |
| TV | NBA League Pass |
| Odds via FanDuel. Get up-to-the-minute NBA odds here. | |
With only 15 games left for both the Chicago Bulls and Sacramento Kings, the magnitude of each matchup amplifies and tonight is no different. Even in a non-conference game, getting a win here is massive for both moving forward.
The Bulls are in a logjam for the last few spots in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament with a record of 31-36. Winners of five of their last eight games, the Bulls are clicking at just the right time to sneak into the playoffs and have the talent to make a run, or at least get past the play-in tournament.
Meanwhile the Kings have been one of the most surprising teams in the league with a record of 40-24, which ranks third in the Western Conference. Despite all of the backlash for trading Tyrese Haliburton last season, it has paid off with how great Domantas Sabonis has been leading them in rebounds and assists.
Sacramento Kings
What a season it has been for the Kings. Their 40 victories are already more than each of their last 16 seasons. They are 37-30 against the spread with 19 road wins, which is the most in the Western Conference. In fact, the Kings are the only team in the conference with a winning road record.
This line opened at Kings +1, but has already been bet to Kings -1. They are one game back of the Grizzlies for the No. 2 seed and with Memphis missing Ja Morant for the foreseeable future, the Kings could easily mess around and be hosting a team coming out of the play-in tournament.
The Kings lean on an offense that ranks first in Offensive Rating (118.7) as they are scoring a league-high 121.3 points per game, which is more than three per game higher than the next team. The Bulls rank fifth in Defensive Rating, but they are going to have their hands full stopping this offensive juggernaut.
In his first full season with the Kings, Sabonis is running the show. He is averaging nearly a triple-double with 19 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game. He leads the league in rebounds and is shooting a career-best 61% from the field. In their first matchup, Sabonis had a triple-double with 11 points, 17 rebounds, and 10 assists while only attempting four field goals.
De'Aaron Fox has also taken a major step forward, averaging a career-high 25.5 points per game, while shooting 51.3% from the field. Fox has been cooking since the All-Star Break with five 30-point games. The Bulls may have elite perimeter defenders, but Fox is playing at an All-Star level.
Chicago Bulls
On paper, the Bulls have one of the most talented rosters in the league. They haven't been able to put the pieces together as they find themselves five games under .500 and out of the Eastern Conference play-in tournament as it stands.
The Bulls are 18-15 at home, but they only cover the spread 48.5% of the time. This is basically a pick'em with the spread flip-flopping. Despite so much star power, the Bulls rank 24th in Offensive Rating while scoring 113.2 points per game. They need to be clicking on offense to keep up with the Kings in this matchup and rely on their defense to slow them down.
DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine continue to be arguably the best guard duo in the league. DeRozan is averaging 25 points per game, while LaVine is right behind him at 24.9 per game. How they get to those high scoring totals is nearly opposite with DeRozan being the king of the mid-range and LaVine hoisting a team-high 7.3 3-pointers per game. Their styles play well together.
As good as the Kings are offensively, they tend to struggle defensively as they rank 26th in Defensive Rating (116.0) while playing at the ninth-fastest pace. This is a great spot for DeRozan and LaVine to fill it up against the Kings.
Adding Patrick Beverley has been a nice boost on both ends of the floor. He has recorded a double-double in two of his last five games, while continuing to be a pest defensively. He has started every game for the Bulls since joining the team as Lonzo Ball is once again out for the season.
Four of the last five Bulls' games have gone over the total and if they win tonight, they'll have to fill it up.
Kings-Bulls Pick
The spread is bouncing back-and-forth, which makes sense because this should be a very competitive and tight game. The public lean is definitely with the Kings from a spread perspective as they are getting 76% of the bets as of this writing. They cover frequently and will add to that total tonight.
The over is intriguing, but the Kings score more than six points fewer on the road than at home this season. With the two seed within their grasp, the Kings won't let up despite this being a road non-conference opponent. No need to get cute with the spread, I would take the Kings moneyline at -120 in this spot.
With that being said, if this spread gets up to -2 or -3 in the Kings favor, I would feel comfortable laying the points. They are simply the better all-around team.
Pick: Kings ML -120 or Better (Bet Spread If It Reaches -2 or -3) |
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