The Chicago Bulls (13-17) travel to face off against the Atlanta Hawks (15-15) on Thursday, December 26th. This game will be played at State Farm Arena in Atlanta and televised on CHSN. The Hawks are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Bulls are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Bulls. Tip-off is set for 7:30 ET.

Bulls vs Hawks

The Bulls Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

The Bulls fell to 13-17 on the season after a 112-91 home loss to the Bucks on Monday. Chicago, favored by 2.5 points, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread. The game’s total points of 203 fell well short of the 225.5 O/U line.

A 12-0 run by Milwaukee early in the game set the tone, as they jumped from an 11-10 lead to 23-10. Chicago’s best quarter came in the 2nd, where they outscored the Bucks 28-26, but they couldn’t make up the deficit, trailing 92-72 going into the 4th.

The Hawks Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

The Hawks evened their record at 15-15 with a 117-104 win over the Timberwolves on Monday. Atlanta, who were +3 point underdogs, covered the spread with the win. The total points for the game were 221, just under the 223.5 O/U line.

Atlanta started strong, going on a 12-0 run early to push the score from 18-9 to 30-9. However, the Timberwolves responded by outscoring the Hawks 36-17 in the 2nd quarter. After an even 3rd quarter, Atlanta closed out the game by holding Minnesota to 19 points in the 4th while scoring 35 of their own.

Bulls Offense Breakdown

The Bulls struggled offensively in their 112-91 loss to the Bucks, shooting just 40% from the field and hitting only 20.8% of their three-point attempts, making 10 threes in total. 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 and Smith putting up 10 in the 2nd. Patrick Williams contributed 13 points, scoring 5 in the 3rd and 4th quarters.

Hawks Offense Breakdown

The Hawks shot 53.4% from the field and made 18 threes at a 50% clip in their win over the Timberwolves. Trae Young led the way with 29 points, including 12 in the 1st quarter and 9 in the 4th.

Garrison Mathews hit 7 threes, finishing with 25 points and 10 in the final period. De’Andre Hunter added 19 points, scoring 9 in the 3rd quarter.

Bulls Team Defense

Defensively, the Bulls struggled in the 1st and 3rd quarters, allowing 33 points in each, as they gave up 112 points to the Bucks. Chicago’s best defensive effort came in the 4th quarter, where they held 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, allowing 7 offensive boards, and recorded 9 steals.

Hawks Team Defense

The Bulls gave up 112 points to the Bucks, allowing 33 points in both the 1st and 3rd quarters. They tightened up in the 4th, holding Milwaukee to 20 points, but it wasn’t enough to turn the game around.

Chicago struggled to defend the three, with the Bucks hitting 18 threes at a 41% clip. The Bulls sent Milwaukee to the line 17 times, where they made 14 free throws. Defensively, the Bulls recorded 9 steals and 1 block.

Bulls vs Hawks Trends

• In their last ten games away from home, the Bulls have a straight up record of 7-3 while going 6-3-1 vs. the spread. The team averaged 122 points per game in this stretch.
• Across their three previous home games, Atlanta has an ATS mark of 1-2. Their straight up record in these matchups was 1-2 while averaging 112 points per game.
• In their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Bulls have a straight up record of 3-7 and an ATS mark of 4-6.
• Through their last three matchups as the betting favorite, the Hawks have a good straight up record, but their ATS mark is just 1-2.

Bulls vs Hawks Prediction

As the underdogs with a spread of +6.5, we recommend going with the Bulls on the point spread. We not only see them covering the spread but also have a strong likelihood of winning this one outright, especially if you’re seeking a higher payout on the moneyline.

Regarding the over/under, the current line is set at 243, and our model predicts the Bulls and Hawks to score a combined 261 points. We recommend betting on the over.

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

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* 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.