Chicago Bulls vs Atlanta Hawks Betting Pick & Prediction 12/26/24
At 7:30 ET, the 9th ranked Chicago Bulls (13-17) will travel to Atlanta to take on the 7th ranked Hawks (15-15). The Hawks are favored by 6.5 points and the over/under line is set at 243.
CHSN will broadcast the game from State Farm Arena.
CHICAGO BULLS VS ATLANTA HAWKS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Chicago Bulls +6.5
This game will be played at State Farm Arena at 7:30 ET on Thursday, December 26th.
WHY BET THE CHICAGO BULLS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 139-122 in favor of the Bulls.
- Our projections have Zach LaVine finishing with 21 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists.
- From the field, we have the Bulls finishing with a field goal percentage of 46.0% and knocking down 19 threes.
Are the Bulls Ready for a Win at Atlanta?
Chicago’s season record dropped to 13-17 after a 112-91 loss to the Bucks on Monday. The Bulls, who were -2.5 point favorites at home, failed to cover the spread. The total score of 203 points fell well short of the 225.5-point O/U line.
Milwaukee took control early with a 12-0 run, stretching the score from 11-10 to 23-10. Chicago’s best quarter was the 2nd, where they edged the Bucks 28-26, but they couldn’t close the gap after trailing 92-72 going into the 4th.
In their 112-91 loss to the Bucks, the Bulls struggled offensively, shooting just 40% from the field and hitting only 10 threes at a 20.8% clip. Nikola Vucevic led the way with 17 points and 12 rebounds, scoring 8 points in both the 1st and 2nd quarters.
Zach LaVine and Jalen Smith each added 14 points, with LaVine scoring 9 in the 3rd quarter. Smith contributed 10 of his points in the 2nd period, while Patrick Williams finished with 13 points, scoring 5 in both the 3rd and 4th quarters.
Defensively, the Bulls struggled in the 1st and 3rd quarters, giving up 33 points in each, as they allowed the Bucks to score 112 points in the game. Chicago did manage to tighten things up in the 4th quarter, holding Milwaukee to 20 points.
The Bulls had trouble defending the three, with the Bucks hitting 18 threes at a 41% clip. Chicago sent Milwaukee to the line 17 times, where they made 14 free throws. The Bulls finished with 37 defensive rebounds, giving up 7 offensive boards, while adding 9 steals.
Can the Hawks Offense Score Enough at Home?
With a 117-104 win over the Timberwolves on Monday, the Hawks evened their season record at 15-15. Atlanta, +3 point underdogs heading into the game, covered the spread with a +13 point victory. The total score of 221 points came in just under the O/U line of 223.5.
Atlanta started strong, going on a 12-0 run early and leading 35-19 after the 1st quarter. However, the Timberwolves responded by outscoring the Hawks 36-17 in the 2nd quarter. After an even 3rd quarter (30-30), Atlanta clamped down in the 4th, holding the Timberwolves to 19 points while scoring 35 of their own to seal the win.
In their win over the Timberwolves, the Hawks shot 53.4% from the field and hit 18 threes at a 50% clip. Trae Young led the way with 29 points and 7 assists, while Garrison Mathews added 25 points, knocking down 7 threes at 87.5% shooting.
Young scored 12 of his points in the 1st quarter and added 9 more in the 4th. Mathews also came up big in the final period, scoring 10 points, while De’Andre Hunter added 9 of his 19 points in the 3rd quarter.
The Hawks’ defense came up big in the 1st and 4th quarters, allowing just 19 points in each, to help secure a 117-104 win over the Timberwolves. Despite a rough 2nd quarter, where they gave up 36 points, Atlanta held Minnesota to 42% shooting overall.
From beyond the arc, the Hawks limited the Timberwolves to 14 made threes on 32% shooting. They also sent Minnesota to the line just 13 times, where they made 12. Defensively, Atlanta recorded 15 steals and 6 blocks.