Filip Tomic
Show Bio
After just 2 games on Super Bowl Sunday, the NBA returns with a 9-game slate on Monday and we have a cracking game in Chicago, where the Bulls square off with the San Antonio Spurs in the 2nd meeting between the teams this season.
Tip-off is set for 8:00 pm ET on NBA TV and I’ve prepared a same-game parlay which you can find below. Be sure to also check our predictions on the side and total for the rest of Monday’s 9-game slate, but without wasting any more time let’s get into the Spurs vs Bulls matchup!
Chicago Bulls 1-10 win margin (+170)
Nikola Vucevic to score 25+ points (+162)
DeMar DeRozan over 31.5 points (-116)
Parlay odds: +1118
Chicago Bulls 1-10 win margin (+170)
Chicago is currently in midst of a 7-game home stand and they’ve won the first 3 games by an average of 9.6 points. They’ve had the most injuries out of all the playoff teams in the Eastern Conference this season, but despite that they are just 1 game back of #1 seed Miami. They have covered the spread in 6 of 9 games overall, and against Western Conference opponents they are 4-2 SU over their last 6 games. San Antonio has 2 wins in a row, but those were against not-so-impressive New Orleans Pelicans and Atlanta Hawks. Without their all-star Zach LaVine, the Bulls are shorthanded, but they should have enough firepower to outlast the Spurs at home.
Read our full preview for San Antonio Spurs vs Chicago Bulls
Nikola Vucevic to score 25+ points (+162)
Nikola Vucevic has been playing really well lately and is averaging 23.7 points per game over his last 10 outings, partially due to LaVine going in and out of the lineup. In his last 2 games against OKC and Minnesota he went over 25 points, which is a good sign for our bet. In February he is shooting 59% from the field while averaging 24.4 points per game and against a Spurs team that has struggled defending the inside all season, I can definitely see him having a big game. San Antonio ranks only 28th in opponent points in the paint this season, allowing 50.4 per game. They’ve also allowed 113.3 per game overall in their last 3 outings. Tonight’s game should be a high-scoring like the meeting earlier this season, so expect Vucevic’s numbers to reflect that.
DeMar DeRozan over 31.5 points (-116)
DeMar DeRozan has already had a 32-point game against his former team 2 weeks ago. Since then he has been on another level, averaging 38.4 points per game in his last 5 while shooting the lights out from the field at almost 60%. His 3-point shot is also falling over the past 10 games as he’s hitting them at a rate of almost 37%, which is really good for a player attempting only 1.8 shots from the perimeter for the season. This guy is headed to Cleveland to the all-star game for a reason and with LaVine out he is carrying the offense on his back and so far it has worked. Fingers crossed he can keep it up tonight against the team that had him for 3 seasons.
Pickswise is the home of free NBA picks and predictions. Make sure to also check out our NBA parlays and NBA prop bets tabs for more expert picks.
