Hawks vs. Bulls NBA expert prediction and odds for Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament
By Peter Dewey
The Atlanta Hawks and Chicago Bulls are both in the NBA’s Play-In Tournament for the second straight season, but last season only Atlanta made the playoffs.
These teams will face off in the No. 9 vs. No. 10 game (hosted by Chicago) with the winner advancing to play the loser of the Miami Heat-Philadelphia 76ers matchup.
Chicago took two of the three regular season meetings between these teams, and it is favored by three points at home on Wednesday night.
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Let’s dive into the odds and my best bet for this matchup:
Hawks vs. Bulls odds, spread and total
Hawks vs. Bulls how to watch
- Date: Wednesday, April 17
- Time: 9:30 p.m. EST
- Venue: United Center
- How to watch (TV): ESPN
- Hawks record: 36-46
- Bulls record: 39-43
Hawks vs. Bulls injury reports
Hawks injury report
- Saddiq Bey – out
- Jalen Johnson – out
- Onyeka Okongwu – out
Bulls injury report
- Lonzo Ball – out
- Onuralp Bitim – out
- Ayo Dosunmu – questionable
- Andre Drummond – questionable
- Zach LaVine – out
- Patrick Williams – out
- Julian Phillips – out
Hawks vs. Bulls key players to watch
Atlanta Hawks
Trae Young: The All-Star guard returned for the final three games of the regular season, averaging 15.0 points and 10.0 assists per game on 57.7 percent shooting from the field. The Hawks are hoping that they can extend Young’s minutes a bit in the play-in to help them advance to Friday’s game for the No. 8 seed.
Chicago Bulls
DeMar DeRozan: DeRozan closed out the regular season with four straight 30-point games, and he pushed his season average to 24.0 points per game in the process. Chicago is likely going to lean on him to carry the offense given his experience in playoff environments throughout his career.
Hawks vs. Bulls prediction and pick
The Hawks posted the worst against the spread record in the NBA this season, but I think they’re worth a bet in this spot against Chicago.
The Bulls are just 8-13 against the spread as home favorites this season, and the addition of Young back into the Hawks lineup makes them a much better offensive team than they have been at points this season without him.
Chicago also lacks a lot of size inside with Andre Drummond banged up (he did not practice Tuesday), which could be a problem against Atlanta’s frontcourt. The Hawks have two elite guards in Dejounte Murray and Young, and I think that may be enough to carry them in a close game.
These teams most recently played on April 1 with the Hawks winning that game by 12 points. In what should be a close game, I’ll take the points with Atlanta.
Pick: Hawks +3 (-110)
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.