The Indiana Pacers (15-14) travel to face off against the Chicago Bulls (14-18) on Thursday, December 28th. This game will be played at United Center. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. Tip-off is set for 8:00 ET.

Pacers vs Bulls

The Pacers Are Coming Off A Win

In the game against the Rockets, Tyrese Haliburton was the top scorer for Indiana, recording 33 points. His field goal percentage for the game was 52.4%. Myles Turner also contributed 18 points as the Pacers won by a score of 123-117 vs. the Rockets.

In their last ten games, the Pacers are 4-6 and come into today’s game vs. the Bulls with an overall record of 15-14. So far this season, the Pacers are 12-10 against Eastern Conference teams and 3-4 against non-conference opponents.

Currently, Indiana holds an above .500 ATS record of 15-14 so far this year. On the road, the Pacers have an ATS record of 7-7 compared to a 8-7 record vs. the spread at home.

The Bulls Are Coming Off A Win

The Bulls won vs. the Hawks in their most recent game, ending with a score of 118-113. Turning the tide, the Bulls picked up the win, overcoming a halftime deficit of 56-50.

When playing on the road, the Bulls are 4-10 this season compared to their 10-8 record at home. Overall, the Bulls are 14-18 this season and are hoping to get a win against the Pacers.

Chicago arrives with an ATS record of 17-15 for the season up to this point. The Bulls are in the midst of a five game ATS win streak as underdogs, and they come in with a 5-7 record against the spread as favorites.

Pacers Offense Breakdown

Leading up to today’s matchup, the Pacers are one of the NBA’s top offenses, averaging 126.3 points per game (1st). So far, Indiana is averaging 102.7 possessions per game, making them one of the more up-tempo teams in the league. Not only is the team playing at an up-tempo pace, but they have been able to pair this style with one of the better field goal percentages in the NBA at 50%.

Bulls Offense Breakdown

The Bulls come into today’s game as the 26th ranked scoring offense at 110.2 points per game. So far, the Bulls are averaging 96.2 possessions per game, which places them below the NBA average. If the Bulls offense is going to turn things around, they will need to either generate more possessions or improve their overall efficiency. Currently, they are just 14th ranked team in 3-point shooting percentage.

Pacers Team Defense

On the road, the Pacers’ have struggled this season, giving up 130.9 points per game compared to their season average of 125.5 PPG allowed. For the season, their defense is 29th in the league. The Indiana defense has allowed opponents to shoot 38.6% from beyond the arc this season. Opposing teams are also hitting 51.0% of their field goal attempts vs. Indiana.

Bulls Team Defense

For the season, Chicago is sitting 10th in terms of points allowed per game (112.4). It is worth noting they have given up a fewer number of points in two straight games. In the terms of takeaways, Bulls are causing 11.4 turnovers per game, ranking 3rd in the league. They also enter the matchup ranked 20th in rejections, averaging 4.7 blocked shots each game.

Key Players For The Pacers And Bulls

Our projections for today’s game indicate that Tyrese Haliburton will be the primary scorer for the Pacers, with 17 points and going 6/12 from the field. Throughout this season, his average stands at 24.8 points per game, along with 4 rebounds.

On the other side, DeMar DeRozan is our projected leading scorer for the Bulls. We have him ending the game with a team-high 23 and grabbing 5 rebounds. Throughout the season, he has maintained a 45.6% field goal shooting rate and is averaging 22.4 points per game.

Pacers vs Bulls Trends

• Through their last five road games, Indiana has an ATS record of just 1-4. However, their overall record was 1-4 while averaging 116 points per game.
• The Bulls are 3-0 ATS in their last three home games and 2-1 straight-up.
• As the betting underdog, the Bulls have an ATS record of 5-0 in their last five games. In these matchups their, straight up record was 4-1.
• The last ten games that Indiana was favored, they have an ATS mark of 5-5 while going 5-5 straight up.

 

Pacers vs Bulls Prediction

 

For a point-spread wager in this Pacers vs. Bulls game, we suggest taking the Bulls at +2.5. Even though our predictions have the Pacers winning 113-112, we see the Bulls as the better choice on the point-spread.

Regarding the over/under, the current line is set at 241.5, and our model predicts the Pacers and Bulls to score a combined 225 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.