Brooklyn Nets vs Chicago Bulls Preview (2/24/23): Prediction, Starting Lineups, Odds
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The new-look Brooklyn Nets’ first game post-All-Star break will be against the Chicago Bulls, a team that decided to stand pat at the trade deadline, despite struggling immensely this season.
Check out our betting picks and in-depth game analysis below to see which team we believe will win or at least cover the spread!
Brooklyn Nets Vs. Chicago Bulls Betting Odds
The Brooklyn Nets are 1.5-point road dogs against Chicago for this Eastern Conference matchup. Brooklyn has listed Ben Simmons as questionable, while Lonzo Ball and Javonte Green remain out for the Bulls. Further, Goran Dragic is day-to-day.
Brooklyn Nets Vs. Chicago Bulls Prediction
Brooklyn might have had one of the busiest trade deadlines ever; it moved two future Hall-of-Famers, including Kevin Durant, who could go down as one of the top ten or 15 greatest players of all time.
Still, these moves might not be as bad as they seem for Brooklyn.
For one, Mikal Bridges might have a higher upside than people assumed; he has posted averages of 25 points, four rebounds, and four assists in his past nine games, including a 45-point explosion in just his third game for Brooklyn.
The Nets also brought in Cameron Johnson, a terrific scoring forward, Dorian Finney-Smith, a 3-and-D wing, and Spencer Dinwiddie, a talented guard who can play on or off the ball.
Now, Brooklyn has more depth than it knows what to do with but lacks a superstar to take over games late in the fourth quarter.
Perhaps, that is not necessarily the case, though. Spencer Dinwiddie is one of the top clutch players in the league by eFG%, giving the Nets someone who can execute at the end of games.
Further, they have other terrific shot-makers like Johnson, Bridges, Finney-Smith, Cam Thomas, Seth Curry, and Joe Harris.
This team could surprise some people, especially once they garner the level of chemistry needed to win at a high level in the best league in the world.
I love taking the points with Brooklyn in this spot, as Chicago seems to lack direction and has dropped six-straight games.
Betting Trends
- Brooklyn is 15-14 ATS on the road in 2022-23
- Chicago is 15-13-1 ATS at home in 2022-23
- The combined over record of these two teams is 52-64-1 in 2022-23
Key Matchups
The key matchup in this battle will undoubtedly belong to the battle of the wings: DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine versus Mikal Bridges and Dorian Finney-Smith. Check out below which pair has an advantage and whether or not it will matter in the outcome of the game!
DeMar DeRozan & Zach LaVine vs. Mikal Bridges & Dorian Finney-Smith
This is one of the rare times where we highlight two duos rather than an individual battle. However, this matchup cannot be ignored.
LaVine and DeRozan are two incredibly talented offensive players, averaging over 20 points per game in their careers. Needless to say, that is an extremely impressive mark to hit as a scorer, especially when you have been in the league as long as they have been,
Still, LaVine and DeRozan have glaring weaknesses in their games: defense. Neither player has been known as even an average defender throughout their otherwise illustrious NBA careers, which opens the door for opposing forwards to score on the other end, thus, mitigating the impact of their advanced offensive skillsets.
In this game, Dorian Finney-Smith and Mikal Bridges will likely be tasked with defending LaVine and DeRozan. DFS and Bridges are two of the best perimeter defenders in the league and could wreak havoc on this Bulls offense.
Further, Bridges is fresh off a nuclear 45-point performance right before the All-Star break. If he rides that confidence into this game, Brooklyn and its wings have the relative advantage. Advantage: DFS and Bridges.
Brooklyn Nets Starting Lineup
PG: Spencer Dinwiddie
SG: Mikal Bridges
SF: Cameron Johnson
PF: Dorian Finney-Smith
C: Nic Claxton
Chicago Bulls Starting Lineups
PG: Ayo Dosunmu
SG: Zach LaVine
SF: DeMar DeRozan
PF: Patrick Williams
C: Nikola Vucevic
Key Injuries
Brooklyn Nets Injuries: Ben Simmons (Q)
Chicago Bulls Injuries: Javonte Green (Out), Lonzo Ball (Out), Goran Dragic (Q)
