The Chicago Bulls host the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night in the NBA Play-in Tournament. The two teams have struggled to find any consistency with the Bulls (39-43) finishing the season ninth and the Hawks (36-46) tenth in the Eastern Conference. After a gruelling 82-game season, it will all come down to this win-or-go-home game.
The Bulls are 5-5 in their last 10 games. The team has won two of their last three games with their only loss a slender 120-119 overtime defeat to the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
Quinn Snyder will need to find a winning formula fast if his ailing Hawks team have any chance of keeping their season alive. Atlanta is currently riding a six game losing streak and are 3-7 in their last 10 games.
Make a bet on this exciting matchup! Head over to BetMGM
Breakdown: Atlanta Hawks Aim to Upset Chicago Bulls and Return to Playoffs For Fourth Straight Season
| Chicago Bulls | Atlanta Hawks |
| Record: 39-43 | Record: 36-46 |
| O/U Record: 45-37 | O/U Record: 45-36-1 |
| Spread Record: 41-40-1 | Spread Record: 29-53 |
| Injuries: Zach Lavine, Lonzo Ball, Patrick Williams, Julian Phillips, Onuralp Bitim, Andre Drummond (questionable) and Ayo Dosunmu (questionable) | Injuries: Saddiq Bey, Onyeka Okongwu and Jalen Johnson. |
| Key Players to Watch: DeMar DeRozan (24 points, 5.3 assists, 4.3 rebounds per game) | Key Players to Watch: Trae Young (25.7 points, 10.8 assists, 2.8 rebounds per game) |
Atlanta Hawks Versus Chicago Bulls Preview
Date: April 17
Time: 9:30 PM EST
Location: United Center, Chicago
These two team are on opposite trajectories as they approach the most important game of the season. The Atlanta Hawks have los six games in a row and have conceded a whopping 124.8 points per game over that stretch. In two of those six games, they have given up over a 140 points. The Knicks are 2-1 in their last three matchups and took a talented Knicks lineup to the final play in their only loss over the last three games.
The Bulls and Hawks have met on three occasions during this season with the Bulls edging the head-to-head 2-1. The last time they faced off was on April 1 with the Hawks winning the game 113-101.
Entering Wednesday’s encounter at the United Center, the Bulls have a 20-21 record at home while the Hawks have a 15-26 record away from home.
One area where the Hawks have been superior to the Bulls this season is points per game. The Hawks are averaging 118.3 points per game over the regular season with the Bulls managing just 112.3. If the Hawks have any chance of an upset, they will need a big nights from their top scorers Trae Young, Dejounte Murray and Bogdan Bogdanovic.
Our Picks: Chicago Bulls Hold Off Atlanta Hawks To Keep Season Alive
Spread: -3.5 (BetMGM)
O/U: 222.5 (BetMGM)
Pick 1: Bulls (-3.5)
Form will be a key factor coming into tonight’s matchup and the Hawks have struggled of late. They are coming off a 157-115 defeat to the Indiana Pacers and have been poor on the defensive end. Backed by a boisterous home crowd, the Bulls should be able to cover the 3.5 points.
Pick 2: Alex Caruso Over 10.5 points scored (-125, BetMGM)
Known more for his defensive abilities, Caruso has a knack for stepping up in the big games. This season he is averaging 10.1 points per game, but finished with 15 against the Knicks in his previous outing.
