Check out our free Jazz vs Bulls pick and preview for this NBA game in Chicago. See who we like to win and cover the spread in this NBA matchup.
Jazz vs Bulls NBA Pick & Preview
- Sport: NBA
- Teams: Utah Jazz at Chicago Bulls
- Where: Chicago at United Center
- Date: Saturday, January 7th
- Betting Odds CHI -1.5, UTA +102 | CHI -122 O/U 235.5
So far, the Jazz have put together an overall record of 20-21, while going 21-18-2 vs the spread. Over the team’s past 3 games, Utah has an overall record of 1-2, including going 1-2 against the spread.
In their previous game, the Jazz took down the Rockets by a score of 131-114. Not only did they come away with a straight up win, but they also covered the spread as 7 point favorites. Utah put together a strong second half, as they only held a 8 point lead going into halftime. Leading the team in scoring was Lauri Markkanen, as he contributed 49 points while hitting 55.6% of his shots.
So far, the Bulls have put together an overall record of 18-21, while going 20-19-0 vs the spread. Against the Jazz, the Bulls are looking to add to their current 2 game winning streak. The average margin of victory across these matchups is 11.5.
The Bulls are coming off a 126-112 win over the 76ers. This win came despite entering the game as the 5 point underdogs. Chicago went on to win the game, as they led by 4 heading into halftime. In the win, Zach LaVine led the team in scoring with 41 points on a field goal percentage of 73.7%.
Head To Head Recap & Stats
I Similar to their season-long average, the Jazz averaged 112.0 points per game vs the Bulls. Similar to the Jazz, the Bulls scored at a rate near the league average. In their games vs Utah, the team averaged 108.5 points per game. When looking at how these teams have performed vs the spread in recent matchups, the Bulls have an ATS mark of 3-2. Yet, the Jazz have averaged more points per game in these contests, at 112 compared to Chicago at 112. The over-under record in these same games is 1-4, with the teams combining for an average of 218 points per game.
Odds & Free Betting Analysis For This NBA Game
Heading into play, the Jazz offense is rated 3rd in the league in scoring, averaging 117.5 points per contest. So far, the Jazz are averaging 100.3 possessions per game, which places them below the NBA average. Not only is the team one of the more deliberate units in the NBA, they have yet to find their shooting stroke, ranking just 15th in the league in field goal percentage 47.1%.
So far, the Jazz have played well defensively, as they are ranked 10th in the league at 107.57 points per contest.
This season, the Jazz offense has primarily worked through Lauri Markkanen and Jordan Clarkson who are 1st and 2nd on the team in scoring. In his 38 games, Markkanen is 21st in the NBA at 24.5 points per game. So far, him and Clarkson have accounted for 36% of the team’s field goal attempts while combining to average 45.1 points per contest. In addition to sitting 2nd on the team in scoring, Jordan Clarkson is grabbing 3.9 rebounds for Utah to go along with 4.4 assists.
For the season, the Bulls offensive unit is ranked just 14th in scoring at 114.8 points per contest. Coming into today’s game, the Bulls will be looking to improve their 3-point shooting numbers, as they are averaging just 10.7 made 3’s per game. If the Chicago offense is going to improve, they must continue to do a good job avoiding turnovers. Currently, the unit is 11th in fewest turnovers per game.
Defensively, Chicago has had its problems giving up an average of 112.0 points per game (17th).
Small-Forward DeMar DeRozan currently leads the Bulls at 26.2 points per game. For the season, he is 28th in the NBA in usage rate and has taken 21.2% of the team’s field goal attempts. In addition to his scoring, DeRozan is averaging 5.2 boards and 4.9 assists per contest. In today’s game, he is facing off against the NBA’s 7th ranked defense at defending small-forwards. Zach LaVine enters the game sitting second on the team in scoring. Through 35 games, he is averaging 23.0 and is 83rd in the league in player efficiency rating.
Jazz vs Bulls Pick
- Free Spread Prediction: Bulls -1.5
- Free Total Prediction: Under 235.5
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