Scottie Barnes and the Raptors head to the Windy City tonight to play former Toronto franchise player DeMar DeRozan and the Bulls at the United Center (8:00 p.m. ET/Sportsnet). This should be a fairly even contest, so we're diving into this matchup to uncover the best betting opportunities and top player props.
As Coldplay once bellowed in a forest somewhere "Nobody said it was easy." The Raptors have lost five games in a row and nine of their past 10 since recalibrating their support system around Barnes. Darko Rajaković's squad is enduring some growing pains since dealing away O.G. Anunoby, Pascal Siakam, and Precious Achiuwa.
However, there have been some reasons for optimism. Toronto nearly pulled off a road win in Atlanta on Sunday, falling 126-125. The Raps have put up at least 124 points six times this month, they have defeated the Cavs, Warriors and Heat — and they've challenged a handful of good squads like the Clippers, Lakers, and Kings to close battles.
Let's get to our best bets, top props, and final score prediction for Raptors-Bulls this evening in Chicago. Good luck, have fun and be sure to head to BetMGM, an authorized gaming operator of the NBA, for all the latest odds and props.
Raptors vs. Bulls: Betting odds, trends and insights
All odds and betting insights courtesy of BetMGM.
- ATS: Bulls -5.5 (-115) | Raptors +5.5 (-105)
- Moneyline: Bulls -250 | Raptors +195
- Over/under: O 225.5 (-110) | U 225.5 (-110)
The Raptors enter the United Center getting 5.5 points and +195 on the moneyline, an implied win probability of just 33.9 percent. Oddsmakers are unimpressed by the Raps' rough patch, which has seen them fall to 16-30 and 13th in the East.
As we mentioned, Toronto has lost five consecutive games and nine of its past 10. Its record on the road this season is just 6-17. However, its against-the-spread record provides some hope for Raptors bettors.
The Raps have an ATS record of 13-15-1 as an underdog this season and they're 11-11-1 ATS on the road. They have also covered more often than not when they have enjoyed equal rest as their opponents (13-12), while Chicago has gone just 12-16 ATS with equal rest.
According to BetMGM insights, over 60 percent of ATS bets and 77 percent of the moneyline is on the Bulls. The public also prefers the OVER, with 56 percent of tickets favoring a total score of at least 226.
Bulls swingman Zach LaVine remains out with an ankle injury, and both Raptors center Jakob Poeltl (ankle) and Immanuel Quickley (thigh) will also be sidelined.
Raptors vs. Bulls predictions, best bets
Our absolute favorite move for this game is to buy the Raptors two points and smash-bet them to cover the +7.5 on the road. Ten of Toronto's past 16 games have either been wins or losses of six points or fewer, and the Raps damn near got a road victory in the ATL without Immanuel Quickley on Sunday.
Darko Rajaković's squad lost to these same Bulls in Toronto two weeks ago, by a grand total of — you guessed it — six (116-110). Chicago scored a whopping 74 points in the paint but kept the Raptors around by fouling a ton and bricking 18 of 24 three-point attempts.
The Bulls have won three of their past five games, and they're 8-6 over the past month, but they are in no way, shape, or form a good team. Their wins in January have all come against terrible teams like Portland, Memphis, San Antonio, Charlotte, and of course, Toronto. Play any semblance of cohesive team basketball against Chicago and you've got a shot.
If Bruce Brown and Scottie Barnes can contain top Bulls offensive catalysts Coby White and DeMar DeRozan, Toronto's only true worry remaining is Nikola Vucevic down low. With Jakob Poeltl sidelined, the Raps have been abysmal at defending the interior — and it has only gotten worse since Anunoby, Siakam, and Achiuwa left town. They've allowed an NBA-high 68 points in the paint per game over their past three games.
Still, Thaddeus Young starting at center gives Toronto a much better chance at competing than Jontay Porter did when these teams last met. We're taking the Raptors +7.5 at -140 and rooting for the North to bring it to the west side of Chicago tonight (and by bring it, we mean cover).
FINAL SCORE PREDICTION: Bulls 113, Raptors 107 — Toronto loses yet another game by single digits but covers our +7.5 alternate spread bet. The total goes UNDER (225.5) by a handful of points as both teams struggle from three-point land. We're not wild and crazy about the UNDER, though. While it has hit in six of Toronto's past seven games, it has also missed in six of the Raptors' past seven road contests.
Raptors vs. Bulls best player props bets
DeMar DeRozan, F, Bulls — OVER 23.5 points (-125)
With Zach LaVine still sidelined with an ankle injury, DeRozan will have ample opportunity to beat up on his former squad on his home floor. He casually dropped 24 on 9-of-20 shooting when these teams last met at Scotiabank, and since then he has drilled at least one three-pointer in every Bulls game.
DeRozan's also getting to the line a ton as of late and maintaining a far better free-throw percentage than he had at the start of the season. Over Chicago's past five games, the 34-year-old vet has shot 27-of-32 from the charity stripe (84.4%). He should cruise to the OVER here.
Other scoring over/under props we like: Nikola Vucevic OVER 18.5 points (-105); Bruce Brown OVER 12.5 points (-130)
Scottie Barnes, F, Raptors — OVER 7.5 rebounds (+100)
If Toronto expects to dig itself out of the hole it's been living in since Siakam left, Barnes needs to get back to a more physical brand of basketball and crash the boards. With Poeltl out, the Raptors have no interior presence whatsoever and there's only so much an aging Thad Young or an inexperienced Jontay Porter can do against veteran board beasts like Vooch and Andre Drummond.
Barnes has shown plenty of skill on the glass this season, racking up double-digit rebounds 18 times and eclipsing seven in 27 of his 46 games this season. However, he has only hit eight once in the Raps' past six games and twice in January (14 games). There's some obvious risk here, but he pulled down seven boards against Chicago two weeks ago and he might be more motivated coming off the close battle in Atlanta.
