New Orleans Pelicans vs Chicago Bulls Betting Pick & Prediction 1/14/25
At 8:00 ET, the Bulls (-121) will host the Pelicans (+102) in a non-conference matchup. Chicago is favored by 1.5 points and the over/under line is set at 239.5.
Both teams are currently in 5th place in their respective divisions, with the Pelicans (8-32) in 15th place in the Western Conference and the Bulls (18-21) in 10th place in the East.
NEW ORLEANS PELICANS VS CHICAGO BULLS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Chicago Bulls -1.5
This game will be played at United Center at 8:00 ET on Tuesday, January 14th.
WHY BET THE CHICAGO BULLS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 137-134 in favor of the Bulls.
- Our projections have Zach LaVine finishing with 24 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists.
- From the field, we have the Bulls finishing with a field goal percentage of 46.4% and knocking down 19 threes.
Does New Orleans Stand a Chance on the Road?
The Pelicans fell to 8-32 on the season after a narrow 120-119 loss to the Celtics on Sunday. New Orleans, who entered the game as +15 point underdogs, kept it close and covered the spread. The total score of 239 points went over the pre-game line of 230.5.
New Orleans started strong, leading 35-29 after the 1st quarter. However, Boston took control in the 2nd, outscoring the Pelicans 33-26. New Orleans battled back in the 4th, but their 31-30 edge wasn’t enough to complete the comeback.
In their 120-119 loss to the Celtics, the Pelicans hit 17 threes at a 45.9% clip. Trey Murphy III led the way with 30 points, connecting on 5 threes, while Dejounte Murray added 26 points, hitting 6 threes at 66.7% efficiency.
Murray scored 17 points in the 1st quarter, while Murphy added 13 in the 3rd. Zion Williamson struggled from the field, shooting 33.3%, but contributed 7 points in the 4th quarter.
Defensively, the Pelicans gave up 120 points to the Celtics, who shot 43% from the field. New Orleans allowed 29 points in the 1st quarter, 33 in the 2nd, 28 in the 3rd, and 30 in the 4th.
The Pelicans did well defending the three, holding the Celtics to 13 made threes on 29% shooting. Boston also went 19/23 from the free-throw line. New Orleans recorded 8 steals and 3 blocks.
Does Chicago Have What it Takes at Home?
Chicago’s record fell to 18-21 after a 124-119 home loss to the Kings on Sunday. The Bulls were +5 point underdogs, and the final score resulted in a push for spread bettors.
Chicago led 63-61 at halftime but were outscored 36-32 in the 3rd quarter. The Bulls couldn’t close the gap in the 4th, as Sacramento edged them 27-24. The game’s total of 243 points went over the pre-game line of 238.
Zach LaVine knocked down 5 threes at a 62.5% clip, finishing with 36 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists in the Bulls’ 124-119 loss to the Kings. LaVine scored 12 points in the 3rd quarter and added 11 more in the 4th. Lonzo Ball also hit 5 threes, shooting 62.5% from deep, and contributed 15 points, with 6 coming in the opening quarter.
As a team, the Bulls connected on 18 threes, shooting 48.6% from beyond the arc and 46.2% overall. Nikola Vucevic added 18 points, scoring 7 in the 1st quarter and another 6 in the 2nd.
Defensively, the Bulls struggled in the 3rd quarter, giving up 36 points, which contributed to their 124-119 loss to the Kings. Overall, they allowed Sacramento to shoot 49% from the field.
Chicago did a decent job defending the three, with the Kings hitting 13 threes at a 33% rate. The Bulls sent Sacramento to the line 21 times, where they made 17 free throws. Chicago also recorded 37 defensive rebounds, gave up 11 offensive boards, and added 4 steals and 4 blocks.