Thunder vs. Bulls prediction, odds, pick – 10/26/2024
10/26/2024 12:00 PM
The Thunder visit the Bulls on Saturday! The Thunder looked great to open the season against the Nuggets, while the Bulls looked lifeless in a loss against the Pelicans. It’s time to continue our NBA odds series with a Thunder-Bulls prediction and pick.
In their first game, the Thunder looked great on defense and shut down the Nuggets. Thanks to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren, they were the best team in the Western Conference last year. They are even better this year and might be the only team to challenge the Celtics for the NBA Title.
It seems like the Bulls might struggle this season. They could be on their way to a play-in spot again, but it will be difficult. They lost their first game against the Pelicans. However, Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic were the best players on the court for the Bulls, and they will be key for the team for the rest of the season if the Bulls are going to be competitive.
Here are the Thunder-Bulls NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Thunder-Bulls Odds
Oklahoma City Thunder: -10 (-110)
Moneyline: -460
Chicago Bulls: +10 (-110)
Moneyline: +360
Over: 231.5 (-110)
Under: 231.5 (-110)
How To Watch Thunder vs Bulls
Time: 8:00 pm ET/5:00 pm PT
TV: FanDuel Sports Network Southwest
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why the Thunder Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Thunder were great on offense last year. They were third in scoring at 120.1 points per game, third in field goal percentage at 49.9%, and first in three-point percentage at 38.9%. Four different Thunder players hit over double digits in scoring, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander being a standout in a low-scoring game with 28 points, and he picked up where he left off last season because he averaged 30.1 per game. Gilgeous-Alexander also led the way in assists at eight after he led the team in 6.2 per game last year. Gilgeous-Alexander is the engine that makes this team go, but Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams are great players in their own right and will be key on offense all season.
The Thunder’s defense was great last year. They were 11th in scoring defense at 112.7 points per game, third in field goal defense at 45.5%, and 12th in three-point defense at 36.1%. Chet Holmgren is key for this team down low on defense because he leads the team in rebounds at 7.9 and in blocks at 2.3. In their first game, Holmgren was great, with 14 rebounds and four blocks. Then, two players averaged at least one steal per game, with Gilgeous-Alexander leading at two per game and Williams just behind him at 1.1 per game. Four Thunder players grabbed two steals in their first game, with Luguentz Dort grabbing the most at three. This defense looks ready to take that next step this season.
Why the Bulls Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Bulls were not great on offense last season. They were 22nd in scoring at 112.3 points per game, 18th in field goal percentage at 47%%, and 20th in three-point percentage at 35.8%. Then, this season, five different Bulls hit over double digits in their first game, with Zach LaVine leading at 27 points. Coby White then led the way in assists in their first game at six on the night. This offense lost DeMar DeRozan in the offseason, so they might struggle during the rest of the year, even more than they did this past season. Zach LaVine is the engine that makes this team go on offense, and Vucevic will also be a massive key to their success.
The Bulls’ defense was around average last season. They were 16th in scoring defense at 113.7 points per game, 16th in field goal defense at 47.3%, and 20th in three-point defense at 37%. Nikola Vucevic was the key for the defense last year down low, where he averaged 10.5 rebounds per game and 0.8 blocks per game. In Chicago’s first game, he led the way with 11 rebounds in the first game. Then, two players had one block, with Coby White and Patrick Williams tied with one each. Four players also had one steal in their first game, with Coby White, Jalen Smith, Dalen Terry, and Julian Phillips tied. This defense will have its hands full in this game against the Thunder.
Final Thunder-Bulls Prediction & Pick
Except for the Celtics, the Thunder might be the best team in the NBA. They dominated their first game against the Nuggets defensively, and the Bulls are a worse team than Denver. The Bulls struggled in their first game, and this should be an even bigger challenge. The Thunder are the pick here thanks to their defense and offense, and they have the best player in this game, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder win and cover easily on the road.
Final Thunder-Bulls Prediction & Pick: Oklahoma City Thunder -10 (-110)
The post Thunder vs. Bulls prediction, odds, pick – 10/26/2024 appeared first on ClutchPoints.
