At 8:00 ET, the 14th ranked Western Conference Portland Trail Blazers (19-48) will travel to take on the 9th ranked Eastern Conference Chicago Bulls (33-35) at the United Center in Chicago. The Bulls are favored by 7.5 and the over/under line is 213.

This non-conference matchup will be televised on NBCS.

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS VS CHICAGO BULLS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Chicago Bulls -7.5

This game will be played at United Center at 8:00 ET on Monday, March 18th.

WHY BET THE CHICAGO BULLS:

  • We have this one finishing with a projected score of 113-104 in favor of the Bulls.
  • Our projections have DeMar DeRozan finishing with DeMar DeRozan points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists.
  • From the field, we have the Bulls finishing with a field goal percentage of 47.1% and knocking down 11 threes.

Will Portland Make it Happen on the Road?

Portland is 19-48 this season and are currently 14th in the Western Conference. In games against other Western Conference teams, they are 8-36 and 1-14 against teams in their division.

The Trail Blazers are 8-24 on the road this season, and they have an average scoring differential of -10.2 points per game on the road. As underdogs, they are 18-43 straight-up and 30-30 against the spread.

In their last game, the Trail Blazers lost to the Pelicans by a score of 126-107. The O/U line for that game was 215.5, and Portland was getting 13 points going into the game.

This season, Portland’s games have averaged 223.6 points per game, and today’s O/U line is set at 213. In 62 of their games, the O/U line has been higher than 213.

Overall, the Trail Blazers have an ATS record of 31-35 this season, going 17-15 ATS on the road. They have failed to cover the spread in their last two games as the underdog.

When it comes to scoring, the Trail Blazers are 28th in the NBA with 107.7 points per game. However, they have actually been slightly better on the road, averaging 106.8 points compared to 108.6 at home.

One area where Portland has struggled this season is three-point shooting. They are 24th in the league in three-point percentage at 35% and have hit just 11.7 threes per game (24th).

In terms of pace, the Blazers are 19th in the NBA at 97.7 possessions per game. When it comes to assists, they are last in the league at just 22.9 per game.

So far, the Trail Blazers’ defense is ranked 17th in the league at 115.9 points per contest. Opponents are hitting 57.9% of their two-point field goal attempts this season, and they’re also connecting on 35.2% of their three-point attempts.

Can the Bulls Pull Off a Home Win?

Today, the Bulls are favored by 7.5 points against the Trail Blazers. This season, Chicago is 18-10 as the favorite and has won their last two games as the favorite. In games where they are favored, the Bulls have a scoring margin of +3.7 points per game.

In terms of their ATS record, the Bulls are 35-32 overall and 14-13 at home. At home, they have an average scoring differential of -0.2 points per game. On the road, their ATS record is 18-15.

Chicago’s over/under record for the season is 36-31-1, and the over has hit in their last three games. Today’s O/U line is 213, and their games this season have averaged 225.7 points per game.

Chicago’s most recent game was a 127-98 victory over the Wizards. The Bulls easily covered the spread as 9.5-point favorites. The O/U line for that game was 224 points.

In the Eastern Conference, the Bulls are currently in 9th place with a record of 33-35. Within the Central Division, they are in 4th place. In non-conference games, the Bulls are 15-13 compared to 18-22 against the East.

Chicago’s offense has been below average this season, ranking 22nd in scoring at 112.1 points per game. At home, they are averaging 111.6 points per game.

So far, the Bulls have outscored the NBA scoring average in 41.2% of their games. In terms of pace, they are 25th in the league.

Chicago has been one of the better teams at getting to the rim, ranking 4th in two-point attempts. However, they are just 21st in two-point shooting percentage.

On defense, the Bulls come into the game ranked 14th in the league in points allowed at 113.6 per game. Over their last three games, the team is allowing 117.7 points per contest (28th). Inside the arc, the Bulls defense is giving up a shooting percentage of 56.1% and 36.6% from three-point territory.