Free NBA Pick: Bulls vs. Thunder NBA Odds
Looking for Chicago Bulls vs. OKC Thunder free NBA picks & NBA odds? NBA betting sees the Bulls taking on the Thunder on Monday, January 24th, 2021 at the Paycom Center. Cappers Picks provides complimentary expert handicapping picks on all NBA basketball matchups so stay tuned for more FREE daily NBA hoops predictions like this Bulls Thunder matchup.
2022 NBA Handicapping
(28-17) Chicago Bulls vs. OKC Thunder (14-32)
Date: Monday, January 24th
Time: 8:00 PM EST
Venue: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, Georgia
NBA Moneyline Odds: Bulls -120 | Thunder +100 (Bet Now!) Moneyline is off as of posting
NBA Betting Odds: Bulls -1.5
NBA Betting Total: 214.5
Monday, January 24th, finds the Chicago Bulls facing the OKC Thunder for the first time this season and will play once more with Chicago hosting on February 12th.
The Thunder last played in Cleveland on Saturday in an 84-97 losing effort while the Bulls arrive to finish a back-to-back set with the front side featuring a 95-114 loss in Orlando.
Last season the clubs played twice the teams splitting each winning on their home court. The Thunder holds the all-time record with 76 wins in 151 matches versus the Hawks.
Chicago Bulls
A very tough week for the Bulls who learned Lonzo Ball will undergo knee surgery and be out six to eight weeks. Shortly after absorbing that information, they got hit by another gut punch.
After just getting back Alex Caruso from missing 13 consecutive games and experiencing the benefits his defense offers they learned Saturday he’ll also be out six to eight weeks following wrist surgery. This injury is gut-wrenching given it came about via a controversial play in the Bulls – Bucks match.
Grayson Allen tried to stop Caruso’s dunk attempt and made a clean play on the ball, but his secondary actions are less certain. Some believe he was trying to stop Ball from scoring any way possible while others believe he purposely pulled him down in a dirty play.
Allen was ejected from the game on a flagrant 2 and will also serve a one-game suspension. It’s little comfort for the Bulls who’ll be without Caruso for at least six weeks.
Perhaps that news was part of the reason for the Bulls effort in Orlando although DeMar DeRozan did his best to keep the Bulls in the match scoring a season-high 41 points on a highly efficient 15 of 21 from the field along with 11 of 13 from the charity stripe adding five rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
Nikola Vucevic registered a double-double of 13 points and 13 rebounds with three assists but had five turnovers. Coby White was the only other Bulls player to score in double-digits with 22 points.
The Bulls reserve unit got roasted by the Magic getting outscored by a whopping 51 to 10. Overall it was a match Chicago will want to put in the rearview as they scored a single point (to 11) on the fast break, had 22 turnovers equating to 24 points, were outscored 60 to 34 in the paint, and achieved only 10 assists.
There was some good news for Chicago Sunday as they reported Zach LaVine and Javonte Green may be available on Monday. Derrick Jones Jr. (knee) is out while Caruso (wrist) and Ball (knee) will both miss between six and eight weeks and Patrick Williams (thumb) is lost for the season.
OKC Thunder
While the Thunder front office isn’t necessarily desirous of their team winning matches that doesn’t change the will of the players. Unfortunately, as the youngest team in the association with little experience that often equates to losses even with the squad giving 100 percent effort.
On Saturday, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander did his best to keep OKC in the match versus the Cavaliers producing 29 points, nine rebounds, six assists, three steals, a block, and hit three 3-pointers. His effort kept OKC close as they entered the half trailing by two points but a lapse in the third allowed the Cavs to build a 10 point lead.
The Thunder won the fourth (19-16) but like most of their games, it was too little, too late.
Other than SGA who shot 12 of 23 the rest of the starting lineup shot 8 of 37 or 21 percent (yikes) with Lu Dort (10) the only other starter to collect double-figures. The Thunder bench performed better (13 of 25) with Kenrich Williams (12) and Aaron Wiggins (11) leading that unit.
Vit Krecji (ankle) is out indefinitely and is the only player on the Thunder injury report.
NBA Betting Trends:
- The Bulls are 1-6 SU in their last 7 games.
- The Thunder are 14-5-1 ATS in their last 20 games.
- The Bulls are 5-10 ATS in their last 15 games played in January.
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Oklahoma City’s last 5 games.
Free Chicago Bulls vs. OKC Thunder NBA Prediction:
Assuming the Bulls get LaVine and Green back this should be a match that allows them to rediscover their offensive prowess and get back in the win column. As disheartened as they are about losing their two best defenders for up to two months they’ll need to put it behind them and get back on track.
The 1.5 point spread is slight and perhaps reflects the raw emotions the team is feeling – but it’s doubtful DeRozan lets his club lose two in a row to cellar-dwellers.
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