Free NBA Pick: Raptors vs. Bulls NBA Odds
Looking for Toronto Raptors vs. Chicago Bulls free NBA picks & NBA odds? NBA betting sees the Raptors taking on the Bulls on Sunday, March 14th, 2021, at United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Cappers Picks provides complimentary expert handicapping picks on all NBA basketball matchups so stay tuned for more FREE daily NBA hoops predictions like this Raptors Bulls matchup.
2021 NBA Handicapping
(17-21) Toronto Raptors vs. Chicago Bulls (16-20)
Date: Sunday, March 14th
Time: 9:00 PM EST
Venue: United Center, Chicago, IL.
NBA Moneyline Odds: Raptors +145 | Bulls -157
NBA Betting Odds: Bulls -3.5
NBA Betting Total: 231.5
Sunday, March 14th finds the Toronto Raptors playing the Chicago Bulls for the first time this season after their first game was postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak that struck the Raptors.
Last season, the squads played three times with the Raptors sweeping the series adding to their current 12-game win streak versus Chicago. The Bulls hold the all-time record having won 48 matches of the 92 played
Toronto Raptors
Although there have been teams hit by COVID-19 this season it’s rare that so many coaches and core players all were out simultaneously. Typically one or two players might test positive while the others have to quarantine for contact tracing.
For example, Joel Embiid was pulled from the All-Star Game for contact tracing and six days later was back.
Conversely, the Raptors head coach Nick Nurse, five other members of the coaching staff plus Pascal Siakam were the first to be quarantined all missing the February 26th game. Within days Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, Malachi Flynn, and Patrick McCaw were out too.
Seventeen days later, only Nurse is back!
The firepower and overall production go beyond the fact three starters are out. Specifically, the production missing is:
- top two scorers (40.2 ppg)
- first, third rebounders (13.2 rpg)
- second and third best assist creators (11.4 apg)
- top three steals producers (4.5 spg)
- arguably their top three defenders
While the All-Star break provided almost a week hiatus the team remains decimated having lost four games in a row including the Hawks and Hornets (teams they held leads on prior to the virus outbreak)
Charlotte jumped on Toronto from the tip essentially winning the game in the first quarter. Given the back-to-back Nurse didn’t play Kyle Lowry or Norman Powell in the fourth quarter.
Chicago Bulls
The Bulls returned from the break winners of six out of their last nine contests. They’ve excelled at beating sub .500 clubs and struggled versus teams above .500 having won only five times in 17 matches.
Despite getting to play the 76ers without Joel Embiid or Ben Simmons and the Heat without Bam Adebayo, the Bulls lost both games moving their record versus current playoff seeds to 5 of 19.
Zach LaVine led Chicago with 30 points, six rebounds, and six assists. Lauri Markkanen (20), and Thaddeus Young (13) were the other double-figure scorers.
Markkanen and Otto Porter had missed 13 and 15 games respectively but Porter struggled in his two games amassing only three points versus the 76ers and was held scoreless versus Miami.
Devon Dotson (knee) and Garrett Temple (ankle) are day-to-day.
NBA Betting Trends:
- The Raptors are 10-0 in their last 10 head to head meetings
- The Raptors are 6-4 ATS in the last 10 head to head meetings
- Over/Under is 5-5 in the teams last 10 head to head meetings
Free Toronto Raptors vs. Chicago Bulls NBA Prediction:
This is the third opportunity the Bulls will have to play a team down stars and in this case that includes three starters who provide a ton of production and defense. Additionally, Chicago is the rested squad as the Raptors are on the second game of a back-to-back set.
Meanwhile, the decimated Raptors are desperate to stop the bleeding and can’t afford to keep losing to teams in the same range of the ladder.
4* Free NBA Betting Pick: Bulls ATS
I’m torn — theoretically, this should be an easy Bulls victory but the Raps almost stole the game in Boston in a similar situation.
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