Chicago Bulls vs Charlotte Hornets: Two defensively vulnerable teams

The NBA Regular Season is in its concluding stages and after the Regular season, we will move towards the Postseason. The Play-in tournament will be a great snack before we hit the main course of the Playoffs. One of the teams in the Play-in tournament is Charlotte Hornets and they will visit the Chicago Bulls. Both teams have had some problems, especially on the defensive end.

Teams’ Current Forms

Bulls’ struggles on the defensive end

The Bulls have not played in the same way that they did in the first half of the season. One of the major reasons for the team’s poor performance has been the absence of Lonzo Ball who could rebound, defender, and also is an elite three-point shooter. Since he has gone, the team’s scoring balance has been heavily dependent upon DeMar DeRozan and the Wing has carried the team on his back for most parts, which has also affected his defense. Zach LaVine has also not been sturdy on defense, an area which can mean that the Bulls can end up losing in the First Round.

If the team matches up against the Celtics, it doesn't look like they will be able to match up to their defensive intensity. The Bulls have been terrible on the road and they have rather fallen off the radar at this point. Many Bulls fans were not excited despite making the Playoffs because lately, the team has had stood no chance against elite teams. With Lonzo Ball being ruled out of the rest of the season, the Bulls will need to improve their team defense and figure out a way to win away from home. Will Patrick Williams be able to improve the team’s defensive efforts?

The Hornets' defense has even worse

Like the Bulls, the Hornets have had their share of troubles against elite teams. Their defense keeps on disappearing and since the beginning of the season, they haven’t built a defensive identity at all. Earlier, the team’s offense was on fire and they were able to cover their defensive problems through their elite scoring. During the second half of the season, the team’s three-point shooting has been under 32% during most games and Kelly Oubre Jr’s decline has hurt the team for real.

Their fall has been surprising considering how many shot creators they have, more than any other team in the lower rungs of the Playoffs/Play-in ranking with the exception of the Nets. LaMelo Ball continues to be an all-around threat and has been threading the needle through his terrific playmaking and eagle-eyed shooting. Rozier’s production has fallen but he can raise his game during the Playoffs. Miles Bridges has had a breakout season but he will need to push the load on both ends of the floor. The Center position hasn’t given the team much coverage, to be honest.

Injuries

• Bulls: Zach LaVine is probable and Alex Caruso is QUESTIONABLE. Lonzo Ball has been ruled OUT for the rest of the season;
• Hornets: Gordon Hayward is OUT for the game.

Player Props Predictions

Assuming they are available, below are my player-based props predictions:

• I believe DeMar DeRozan will score at least 34 points;
• I see LaMelo Ball dishing at least 10 assists;
• I believe Nikola Vucevic will pull down at least 12 rebounds;
• I see Terry Rozier scoring at least 20 points;
• I see Patrick Williams grabbing at least 7 rebounds;
• I believe Miles Bridges will score at least 24 points.

Expert Betting Tips

Points Range: Both teams have been terrible on the defensive end at times, especially the Hornets. The Hornets played last night and got an easy win versus the Magic but the Bulls are much more formidable than the Magic(or are they these days!). This game is important because the time to prepare for the Playoffs is running out and there is a lot of issues for both teams to figure out. The Bulls have been driving their effort largely on the back of DeRozan and to some extent LaVine and Vucevic but apart from these three, Coby White and Alex Caruso have not been efficient offensively. The Hornets will need Terry Rozier to figure out on the offensive end while their defense will also need to tighten up. I believe the total points range here will be 230-240.

Prediction: Both teams like to put a ton of shots but the Bulls’ offense has been more awful compared to the Hornets, a team that has least gotten decent returns on that end. Defensively, both teams are not tightly built so there will be room to become more efficient here. The Bulls will play at home and despite losing three in a row, I see them coming up with a strong game and pulling out a 118:114 win here.

Betting Odds

• Total Over 231.5 for 1.95;
• Individual Total 1 Over 117.5 for 1.95;
• 1st Half: Total O 120.0 for 1.90;