The NBA features nine games on Wednesday night, but our NBA betting experts are locked in with a pair of best bets on the same game. Both Chris Baker and Jim Turvey are playing the Bulls against the Pistons, but they are fading Detroit with different bets. Find their best bets and analysis below.
NBA Odds & Picks
Bulls vs. Pistons Spread
Chris Baker: This will be the third matchup between these two teams, and I'm backing the Bulls to continue their dominance of the Pistons this season. The Bulls have covered the -7 spread handily in each of their games against the Pistons, and I see little reason why they wouldn’t continue.
This is a second leg of a back-to-back, but there are currently no major injury designations for Bulls players, and fatigue shouldn't be much of a concern given they were nearby in Toronto last night. The Pistons will be without both of their big men as Isiah Stewart and Jalen Duren are both expected to be out. Leading scorer Bojan Bogdanovic also carries a questionable designation, and Isiah Livers is doubtful.
This Pistons roster is unimpressive, and the Bulls should play with more urgency given they are still fighting for a play-in spot.
The Bulls have had a disappointing season, but they still rank among the top 10 in Adjusted Net Rating and have played the seventh-most difficult schedule in the NBA, according to dunksandthrees.com.
They are coming off a tough loss to the Raptors, but overall I’ve liked the way they have looked with Patrick Beverley and Alex Caruso inserted into the starting lineup. They’ve gone 2-1 during that stretch, and they should wreak havoc on a Detroit offense that ranks 24th in Turnover Rate. Back the Bulls to get back in the win column against a tanking Pistons team.
Pick: Bulls -5.5 |
Bulls vs. Pistons 1Q Spread
Jim Turvey: The stars have aligned once again for a hammer spot for the Bulls first quarter. This has been a favorite bet throughout the second half of the season, and with good reason. The Bulls are 37-23-2 against the spread in the first quarter this season, good for a 16.9% ROI, tops in the Association in 2022-23.
On Wednesday, they draw another opponent that has struggled mightily in the first quarter this season–the Detroit Pistons. The Pistons are a woeful 25-37-0 (-23.4% ROI) against the spread in the first 12:00 of games this season.
The game is in Detroit, but that's no worry. The Bulls are even better against the spread in the first quarter when away from home this season (21-9-1, +32.3% ROI), and the Pistons have been even worse at home (10-20-0, -37.0% ROI)!
If you put any stock into motivation (which, for the record, I tend to put very little into, but I know some bettors do), the Bulls have plenty to play for, while the Pistons packed their bags a long time ago.
I also love the alt spreads for this first quarter, and you can get Bulls -6.5 (+235) at FanDuel as well. I'd put 0.75 units on the regular spread and the remaining 0.25 on the -6.5 alt spread for the first quarter.
I would play Chicago on the regular first quarter spread to -3 (-110) and the highest alt spread that you can find at the same book if the standard spread hasn't moved past that -3 number.
Pick: Bulls 1Q -1.5 |
