The Bulls are on the road to face the New Orleans Pelicans, with both team’s playing their first-game of the season. Tip-off for this season-opener, is set for 8:00 at Smoothie King Center.

Bulls vs Pelicans

The Bulls Are Looking To Start Their Season With A Win

The Bulls finished last season 39-43, placing 9th in the Eastern Conference. They were 22-29 in conference play and 7-9 in divisional games, finishing 4th in the Central Division. Heading into this season, Chicago is ranked 19th in our power rankings, with a 52.3% chance of making the playoffs and a 4.4% chance of winning their division.

At home, the Bulls posted a -0.1 scoring margin, going 20-21, and were 18-23 ATS. On the road, they went 19-22 straight-up and 16-24 ATS. As underdogs, they had a 19-30 record and were 15-17 when favored. Their games averaged 226 points, with an O/U record of 44-37-1.

The Pelicans Are Looking To Start Their Season With A Win

New Orleans finished last season with a 49-33 record, placing 8th in the Western Conference. They were 21-19 at home and 28-14 on the road, finishing 2nd in the Southwest Division with a 9-7 divisional record. Heading into this season, we have the Pelicans ranked 18th in our power rankings, with a 46.4% chance of making the playoffs and a 4.9% chance of winning their division.

Against the spread, New Orleans went 41-40, with a 19-21 home record and a 22-19 mark on the road. They were favored in 50 games, going 31-19 straight-up but just 23-26 ATS. As underdogs, they were 18-14 in both straight-up and ATS. Their games averaged 225.7 points, with an over/under record of 37-45.

Bulls Offense Breakdown

Chicago finished 17th in our offensive power rankings last season, averaging 112.3 points per game (22nd). They were 22nd in possessions per game (97.0) and 13th in field goal attempts per game (89.5), shooting 47.0% from the field (17th). The Bulls struggled from beyond the arc, ranking 27th in three-pointers made per game (11.5) and 26th in attempts (32.1), with a 35.8% shooting percentage (20th). They were 10th in free-throw percentage (79.1%) and 8th in offensive rebounds per game (11.2).

We project Zach LaVine to lead the team in scoring, ranking 28th in the league and 6th among shooting guards. Coby White, who averaged 19.1 points per game last season, is projected to be 2nd on the team and 42nd in the league. Nikola Vucevic is projected to be 3rd on the team and 7th among centers, while newcomer Josh Giddey is projected to be 4th on the team and 22nd among shooting guards.

Pelicans Offense Breakdown

The Pelicans enter the season ranked 19th in our offensive power rankings after finishing last year 13th in points per game (115.1). They were 19th in possessions per game (97.3) and 23rd in field goal attempts per game (87.4), but they shot 48.6% from the field, ranking 9th. From beyond the arc, they made 12.5 threes per game (18th) on 32.6 attempts (24th), with a 38.3% shooting percentage, good for 4th. They also ranked 9th in free throw attempts per game (22.8) but were 21st in free throw percentage (77.1%).

New Orleans added Dejounte Murray, who averaged 22.5 PPG, 6.4 APG, and 5.3 RPG last season. Zion Williamson, who played 70 games and averaged 22.9 PPG, is projected to lead the team in scoring, ranking 26th in our league-wide projections. Murray is projected 41st, with CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram also in the top 60. McCollum is projected to lead the team in 3-pointers made, ranking 10th in the league, while Trey Murphy III is out to start the season.

Bulls Team Defense

Last season, the Bulls allowed 113.7 points per game, ranking 16th in the NBA, and come into this year ranked 20th in our defensive power rankings. They were 18th in three-point defense, allowing opponents to shoot 36.9%, and ranked 19th in defensive rebounding. Nikola Vucevic is projected to lead the team in blocks, with Josh Giddey and Zach LaVine contributing on the boards as well.

Opponents shot 47.3% from the field against Chicago last season, placing them 16th in field-goal percentage allowed. They ranked 22nd in effective field-goal percentage defense and were 21st in two-point percentage allowed. The Bulls also averaged 7.8 steals per game, ranking 9th in the league.

Pelicans Team Defense

Last season, the Bulls ranked 16th in points allowed, giving up 113.7 per game, and head into this year ranked 20th in our defensive power rankings. They were 18th in three-point defense, allowing opponents to shoot 36.9%, and finished 19th in defensive rebounding. Nikola Vucevic remains a key rebounder and shot-blocker, with Josh Giddey also contributing on the boards.

Opponents shot 47.3% from the field against Chicago last season, placing them 16th in field-goal percentage allowed. They ranked 22nd in effective field-goal percentage defense and averaged 7.8 steals per game, ranking 9th in the NBA.

Bulls vs Pelicans Trends

• When looking at their past three road matchups, Chicago has an ATS record of 2-1 while averaging 113 per game. The team went 1-2 overall in these games.
• In their last three home games, New Orleans has averaged 99 points per game while allowing 109. The team’s record in this stretch was 1-2 while going 2-1.
• Looking back on the team’s last three games as the underdog, the Bulls have a straight up record of 1-2. Their record vs the spread in these games was 2-1.
• In their last five games as the betting favorite, the Pelicans have a straight up record of 2-3 and an ATS mark of 1-4.

Bulls vs Pelicans Prediction

We’re putting our money on the Pelicans to win, and have the projected score sitting at 156-144. We also like them to cover the spread, so our recommendation is to bet on the Pelicans at -6.5.

As for the total, the line is currently sitting at 227.5 and our model has the Bulls and Pelicans finishing with a combined 300 points. Our pick is to take the over.

All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.