Chicago Bulls vs. Los Angeles Lakers Odds, Preview, and Prediction
Bulls vs. Lakers Odds
| Bulls Odds | -1.5 |
| Lakers Odds | +1.5 |
| Over/Under | 217 |
| Date | Monday, Nov. 15 |
| Time | 10:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | NBATV |
On Monday evening, the Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers will battle at the Staples Center. Following a red-hot start to the new campaign, the Bulls have cooled off considerably as they have faced more difficult competition—having lost three of their last six contests. The Lakers have struggled since LeBron James went down with his latest injury, winning only three of six games. Oddsmakers anticipate a tightly-contested affair in this matchup, pricing Chicago as 1.5-point road favorites on the spread.
Let’s take a closer look at Bulls vs. Lakers odds and NBA betting tips for tonight’s matchup on NBA TV.
Chicago Bulls (-1.5)
Nikola Vucevic is once again out of the lineup this evening for Chicago, due to health and safety protocols. Vucevic’s absence has serious consequences for a Chicago team that has only four players averaging double-figures in scoring and zero members of the roster other than Vucevic averaging 6.0 rebounds per game. DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine have been outstanding to begin the campaign—each averaging better than 25.0 points per night. Yet, any team forced to play the 186-pound Alex Caruso at power forward for any stretch of minutes is going to find it difficult to win games on a consistent basis.
In two games without Vucevic in the lineup, Chicago ranks 28th in offensive efficiency, scoring only 96.5 points per 100 possessions. Surprisingly, this group has managed to hang tough on the defensive end of the floor, permitting only 104.0 points per 100 possessions, which would be good enough to rank in the top 10. Chicago’s main weakness—their rebounding, might not be a tremendous issue this evening against a Lakers team that similarly struggles on the boards.
The Bulls are on a back-to-back in this matchup after taking care of the Los Angeles Clippers last night. If Chicago can overcome the fatigue factor and a lack of depth in this one, they should be competitive for 48 minutes.
Los Angeles Lakers (+1.5)
Chicago’s fatigue factor is also canceled out by the fact that the Lakers are also on a back-to-back tonight and playing their third contest in four nights. In six games without James in the lineup, the Lakers rank 27th in offensive efficiency, averaging only 101.8 points per 100 possessions. Los Angeles is also allowing 106.2 points per 100 possessions on the defensive end of the floor—good for a negative 4.5 Net Rating during that stretch.
The Lakers have no shortage of star talent with names such as Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, Rajon Rondo, and DeAndre Jordan on the roster. The simple reality is that nearly all of the aforementioned names have much more significant reputations than they do talent remaining in their bodies. Westbrook is averaging an atrocious 5.4 turnovers per game and shooting only 42.7 percent from the floor. Jordan, Howard, and Rondo are each averaging 5.3 points or less in limited action. An over-reliance on the defensively-challenged Anthony for nearly 30 minutes per game has made this offense semi-respectable but has hurt this group tremendously when it comes to getting stops.
Anthony Davis remains one of the least intimidating “superstars” in the NBA, and has continued to prove that he is an unreliable first option for a team to build around. In the absence of James, the Lakers are a mediocre team—even with an abundance of depth and a roster replete with big names.
Bulls vs. Lakers Picks
Though there are plenty of problems with the current construction of the Lakers roster, Vucevic’s absence for Chicago in this contest makes the spread too unpredictable of a wager for bettors to seriously consider—especially considering the small sample of data that we have with him off of the floor. Instead of the side in this contest, bettors should turn their attention to the total. Chicago’s offensive production has been diminished dramatically without Vucevic on the floor, but their defense has remained competitive against two of the tougher teams in the NBA—the Golden State Warriors and the Clippers. The Lakers have been one of the least efficient offenses in the league without James on the court. Expect a relatively low-scoring affair between two teams lacking reliable shot-makers in this contest. Take the under.
PICK: Under 217 (-110)
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