The NBA betting action continues with 12 games around the league on Monday, January 17, 2022, so we have prepared the best Bulls vs. Grizzlies betting pick along with the latest odds update on MyBookie Sportsbook. 

Chicago and Memphis open their two-game interconference series. The Grizzlies aim for their third straight victory over the Bulls after they swept Chicago in 2020-21, while four of their previous five encounters have gone under the total.

The Bulls lost three in a row  

The Chicago Bulls (27-14; 24-17 ATS) are coming off a tough 114-112 defeat at the Boston Celtics this past Saturday. It was their third loss on the spin and fourth in the last five games. At least, the Bulls covered a 7.5-point spread, beating the line for the third time over their last six outings.

Chicago has struggled mightily over the last few days. They’ve suffered a couple of heavy home losses to Brooklyn 138-112 and Golden State 138-96. The Bulls blew a nice chance to stop their slide at Boston, allowing 17 offensive rebounds to the Celtics. They shot 50.6% from the field and 41.4% from downtown, but it wasn’t enough against the resilient Boston team.

The Bulls remain No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, but the Brooklyn Nets are only half a game behind them. Chicago has some serious injury problems, as Zach LaVine (knee), Derrick Jones Jr. (knee), and Alex Caruso are all on the shelf, while Lonzo Ball (knee) missed the Celtics game and is questionable to play Monday.  

The Grizzlies’ win streak has come to an end    

The Memphis Grizzlies (30-15; 29-16 ATS) put an end to their terrific 11-game winning streak last Friday. They lost to the Dallas Mavericks 112-85 on the second night of a back-to-back set, playing as small 2.5-point home favorites.

The Grizzlies ran out of gas, so the Mavs had an easy job at FedExForum. Memphis made only 38.2% of its field goals and 22.6% of its 3-pointers. Furthermore, the Grizzlies surrendered a whopping 72 points in the paint.

During their tremendous run, the Grizzlies have gone 10-1 against the spread. They are No. 4 seed in the West, half a game ahead of the fourth-seeded Utah Jazz. The Grizzlies miss Dillon Brooks (ankle) and Killian Tillie (medical protocols), while all the other guys are ready to go.

Trends:

Chicago:

  • 3-6 ATS in the last nine games overall
  • 2-5 ATS in the last seven games on the road  

Memphis:

  • 8-1 ATS in the last nine games overall 
  • 6-0 ATS in the last six games against the Eastern Conference 

Chicago Bulls vs. Memphis Grizzlies Pick

The injury-depleted Bulls will have a mountain to climb in this matchup. The Grizzlies can only play better than they did last Friday and will be keen to bounce back from that ugly loss to Dallas. I’m backing the hosts to cover and prove their worth against the top-seeded team in the East, expecting them to put on a strong defensive performance against the short-handed rival.

Over their last ten games, the Grizzlies have allowed only 104.9 points per 100 possessions. They rank sixth in the league in the opponent turnovers (15.4) and ninth in the opponent offensive rebounds per game (tied-7th). The Grizzlies lead the NBA with 10.1 steals a night, and the Bulls miss some of their best ball handlers.

Pick: Take Memphis Grizzlies       

The Total:

The totals are a tricky wager here, and the betting trends are not helping a lot. The under is 7-1 in Memphis’ last eight home contests and 4-1 in the last five encounters between the Grizzlies and Bulls, while ten of Chicago’s last 15 games at any location have gone over the total.

I’ve mentioned the Grizzlies’ improved defense, but Memphis also prefers to push the ball in transition and find easy buckets. The Grizzlies have scored 116 or more points in five straight outings before that 112-85 loss to Dallas. On the other side, three of Chicago’s last four tilts have produced at least 226 points in total. 

Pick: Go over