Chicago Bulls at New Orleans Pelicans Betting Preview/Player Prop
03 March 2021
Two of the highest-scoring teams in the NBA will meet up on Wednesday night as the New Orleans Pelicans host the Chicago Bulls. Both the Pelicans and Bulls are in the playoff hunt in their respective conferences, but they need to string together some wins.
Chicago comes into this game with an overall record of 15-18, but they are still in second place in the Central Division. The Bulls have now lost two straight games and are looking to turn things around.
New Orleans just stunned the Utah Jazz earlier this week, and they are capable of contending with top teams. The Pelicans are just 15-19 this season and need to go on a run to get in a playoff position.
The New Orleans Pelicans are 5.5-point favorites over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night.
Bulls Battling Through Injuries
The Chicago Bulls are playing without forwards Lauri Markkanen and Otto Porter Jr., leaving the team thin on the front line. Chicago still has a terrific backcourt with Zach LaVine and Coby White, but protecting the rim has become a major challenge.
Chicago is averaging 114.6 points per game this season, and they are capable of lighting up the scoreboard. LaVine leads the way with 28.5 points per game and was named to the All-Star team for his efforts.
Lack of defense has been a problem for the Bulls as late, and they are allowing nearly 115 points per game. The future looks bright in Chicago, but they aren’t there yet.
No Margin For Error With New Orleans
The New Orleans Pelicans are scoring 115.9 points per game while giving up that same total on the defensive end of the floor. This has forced New Orleans to play in a ton of close games, and they have come up just short in several of those matchups.
Zion Williamson leads the team with 25.5 points per game, and he is starting to emerge as a true superstar. The Pelicans want to play fast, and that allows the young phenom to attack the paint with some ferocity.
New Orleans has gone 10-7 on their home floor this season, and that should give them an edge in this one.
Bulls Cover, Pelicans Win
The Chicago Bulls are a hard team to figure out this season simply because they have been so inconsistent. Chicago has been able to take on some of the top teams in the league, and their offense is a big reason why.
New Orleans should have a ton of momentum after knocking off the Utah Jazz, but they better be ready for a battle in this game. The Pelicans will find a way to come away with a win on Wednesday night, but it’s not going to be easy.
Chicago will score right along with New Orleans, and they will battle them to the final buzzer. Chicago will pick up a much-needed win, but they will have to earn it.
Take the 5.5-points and bet on the Chicago Bulls in this matchup with the New Orleans Pelicans.
Player Prop
Zion Williamson Over 7.5 Rebounds (-125)
There hasn’t been much stopping Zion Williamson lately and that includes his performance on the boards. On the season, Williamson is averaging 7.2 rebounds. But he has really ratcheted up that effort recently. Over his last 5 games, Williamson has averaged 9.6 rebounds with 24 rebounds coming in his last two games alone.
While Williamson is still learning the ropes on defense and can show improvement on that end of the court, his ability to get offensive rebounds and turn them into easy buckets has reminded a lot of people of a young Charles Barkley.
In a game where the over/under is set at a healthy 237 against a Bulls team that isn’t exactly known for its defense (24th in points per game allowed), Williamson should take full advantage of the offensive rebounding opportunities tonight en route to surpassing the 7.5 mark for the fourth straight game. Take Zion Williamson (-125) to go Over 7.5 rebounds.
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