The Chicago Bulls (19-23) travel to face off against the Toronto Raptors (16-25) on Thursday, January 18th. This game will be played at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto and televised on TNT. The Raptors are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Bulls are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Heat. Tip-off is set for 7:30 ET.

Bulls vs Raptors

The Bulls Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

In the Bulls’ most recent game against the Cavaliers, Coby White led the Bulls with 18 points while going 5/15 from the field. Zach LaVine put up 17 points which was 2nd on the team, but it wasn’t enough as Chicago ended up losing the game with a final score of 109-91.

Over their last ten games, the Bulls are 5-5 and have an overall record of 19-23. When playing at home, the Bulls are 13-10 compared to 6-13 on the road.

Chicago’s ATS record is currently below .500 at 20-21 for the season. In their last four games as underdogs, the Bulls have faced ATS losses, and they have a 8-9 record against the spread as favorites.

The Raptors Are Coming Off A Win

The Raptors’ most recent matchup against the Heat saw Gary Trent Jr. lead the Raptors with 28 points while shooting 10/13 from the field. RJ Barrett also contributed 26 points as the Raptors won by a score of 121-97 vs. the Heat.

In their last three games, the Raptors are 1-2 and have an overall record of 16-25. When playing other teams from the Eastern Conference, the Raptors are 10-18 and are 6-7 in non-conference games.

Toronto comes in with an overall ATS record of 21-20 so far this season. The Raptors maintain an ATS record of 11-10 on the road, while they have a 10-10 record vs. the spread when playing at home.

Bulls Offense Breakdown

In 42 games games, Chicago has an average of 110.1 points per game (27th).

So far this season, the Bulls have struggled to score, averaging just 110.1 points per game, which is 27th in the NBA. In particular, their three-point shooting has been below average, as they are hitting just 36% of their attempts from deep.

When it comes to pace, the Bulls are 28th in the league, averaging just 96.6 possessions per game. In terms of field goal percentage, they are 25th at 45%.

Interestingly, the Bulls have been better on the road than at home this season, averaging 109.1 points per game compared to 111.0 at the United Center.

Raptors Offense Breakdown

The Raptors come into today’s game as the 16th ranked scoring offense at 115.1 points per game.

Heading into the game, the Raptors are 16th in the NBA in scoring at 115.1 points per game. However, they have been a better offensive team on the road, averaging 117.5 points compared to 112.7 at home (24th).

So far this season, Toronto has outscored the NBA scoring average in 48.8% of their games. In terms of pace, the Raptors are 17th in the league at 98.8 possessions per game.

When it comes to shooting, the Raptors are 10th in field goal percentage at 48%. They are also 12th in two-point shooting at 55% but just 20th in three-point shooting at 36%.

Bulls Team Defense

At present, the Bulls’ defense is ranked 12th, allowing 112.4 points per game. On two point field goal attempts, the Bulls’ defensive unit is allowing a field goal percentage of 55.1% and allowing 36.5% from beyond the arc.

Raptors Team Defense

Currently, the Raptors’ defense holds the 18th rank in the NBA, allowing 116.3 points per game. In the terms of takeaways, Raptors are causing 12.6 turnovers per game, ranking 11th in the league. They also enter the matchup ranked 20th in rejections, averaging 4.9 blocked shots each game.

Key Players For The Bulls And Raptors

Our game forecasts for today suggest that Zach LaVine is set to be the main scorer for the Bulls, recording 23 points and shooting 8/16 from the field. Throughout this season, his average stands at 20 points per game, along with 5.3 rebounds.

On the other side, RJ Barrett is our projected leading scorer for the Raptors. We have him ending the game with a team-high 18 and grabbing 5 rebounds. This season, he is shooting at a field goal percentage of 45.8%, and his scoring average is 18.8 points per game.

Bulls vs Raptors Trends

• Through their last three road contests, the Bulls offense has averaged 110 points per game while allowing an average of 112. Chicago posted an overall record of 2-1 while going 0-2-1 ATS.
• Toronto has a 0-3 record in their last three home games. In this stretch, they averaged 121 points per game while allowing 134. The team also performed well vs the spread at 2-1.
• Through their last five games as the betting underdog, the Raptors have a strong record vs the spread going 3-2. Their straight up mark in these contests is 1-4.
• In their last ten games as the betting favorite, the Bulls have a straight up record of 8-2 and an ATS mark of 6-3-1.

Bulls vs Raptors Prediction

As the underdogs with a spread of +2, we recommend going with the Raptors 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 225, and our model predicts the Bulls and Raptors to score a combined 219 points. We recommend betting on the under.

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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.