The Hawks and Bulls may sit dead-last on BetMGM's NBA Finals odds board at +100000 each, but that doesn't mean these teams won't be battling in Wednesday night's Play-In Tournament (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN). And sometimes, the less-hyped and less-bet games yield the best values on the betting market! We'll explore the odds, stats, and trends for this Eastern Conference clash, and highlight some best bets and top props so you can make some hump-day cash.
Let's face it — this might not turn out to be the game of the century. But there's plenty for hoops fans and bettors alike to enjoy. DeMar DeRozan, a candidate for Clutch Player of the Year, is always fun in big games. Coby White, who has broken out and shot up the Most Improved Player odds board, looks like a superstar in the making. Alex Caruso, formerly an x-factor for the Lakers' bubble championship, is one of the more fun complementary players to watch in the NBA.
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Then there's Atlanta, which recently benefited from the return of sharpshooting point guard Trae Young. Quin Snyder has coached this young team back into relevance — and although the Hawks have dropped six straight games, the combination of Young and Dejounte Murray makes for a backcourt no team enjoys facing in the postseason.
Let's get to the odds for this Eastern Conference showdown, and unveil our best bets and top props.
Bulls vs. Hawks NBA Play-In Tournament game: Odds
All odds are courtesy of BetMGM, an authorized gaming operator of the NBA.
- Spread: Bulls -3.5 (-105) | Hawks +3.5 (-115)
- Moneyline: Bulls -155 | Hawks +125
- Total: Over 220.5 (-115) | UNDER 218.5 (-105)
Bulls vs. Hawks NBA Play-In Tournament game: Best bets
As deadly as Young has been in past postseasons, we can't help but notice that he and Murray simply do not mesh offensively. Atlanta's record with Trae this season was 22-32, 10 games under .500. Its record without Trae: 14-14, right at .500.
That's not great news for Quin Snyder, who finds his team riding a six-game losing streak entering a single-elimination Play-In game. Chicago, meanwhile, has won six of its past 10 games and covered the spread seven times during that span (ATL has failed to cover seven of its past 10 spreads — polar opposites!).
The Hawks are also missing breakout swingman Jalen Johnson (ankle), key backup big Onyeka Okongwu (toe), and three-point marksman Saddiq Bey (torn ACL). The Bulls know a little something about injuries (shout-out to Zach LaVine, Lonzo Ball and Patrick Williams!), but Billy Donovan's squad also has much more of a "next man up" mindset than Atlanta.
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The best reason to trust the Bulls: everyone knows their role. DeMar DeRozan is the steady veteran, midrange assassin, and trusted closer. Coby White is the spark-plug point guard who can go nuclear at a moment's notice. Nikola Vucevic bangs down low, and both he and Andre Drummond gobble up rebounds like Pac-men. Caruso, a perennial All-Defensive candidate, executes the x's and o's of the game as well as anyone.
Let's not get carried away with exposition — Chicago is a better team than Atlanta. The Bulls have gone 20-13 when favored this season, while the Hawks have gone just 12-28 as an underdog. The ATL has also gone 15-26 on the road, and just 10-17 against the spread as an away 'dog. Bet Atlanta at your own risk — we're going with DeRozan and the Bulls to advance to the final round of the Play-In.
FINAL SCORE PREDICTION: Bulls 111, Hawks 105 — Chicago wins (-155) and covers (-3.5), and the game finishes UNDER the total (218.5).
Heat at 76ers NBA Play-In Tournament game: Top player prop
DeMar DeRozan points — OVER 29.5 (-110)
Here's when the Clutch Player of the Year candidate must really earn his money. DeRozan dropped 31 and 29, respectively, the last two times he faced the Hawks, and we expect a big game out of him on Wednesday evening. The emergence of Most Improved Player favorite Coby White has been awesome, but White has very little postseason experience while DeRozan has 11 career playoff series under his belt.
The best scorers shine in the biggest moments, and we trust in DeRozan to get to his spots and spend a ton of time at the line against a banged-up, undermanned Atlanta team that often struggles with foul trouble (19 personal fouls per game over the past three). As he's done against young squads so many times in the past, DeRozan will feast.
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