23): Prediction, Starting Lineups, Odds

By Andrew Norton | Feb 09, 2023, 2:31am

Contents

Chicago and Brooklyn will face off on Thursday night, just hours after trading Kevin Durant. See the entire breakdown of this game and the implications for the Nets’ future below. Additionally, check out the projected starting lineups, current odds, and our betting picks and predictions.

Chicago Bulls Vs. Brooklyn Nets Betting Odds

The Chicago Bulls are three-point road dogs to a completely different Brooklyn Nets team than just a few days ago. Chicago will again miss Lonzo Ball and Javonte Green, while Patrick Williams and DeMar DeRozan will probably be game-time decisions.

Keep an eye over the next 24 hours on the Brooklyn Nets’ injury report, as the two massive trades they have made could result in several DNP’s for their new players. Seth Curry will still be out, while Day’Ron Sharpe and Yuta Watanabe are questionable.

Chicago Bulls Vs. Brooklyn Nets Prediction

This matchup preview is going to be primarily dedicated to the chaos that has ensued in the past 72 hours for the Brooklyn Nets. After Kyrie Irving demanded a trade a few days ago, the Nets’ roster has been completely flipped upside down.

First, Brooklyn moved Kyrie Irving and Markieff Morris to the Dallas Mavericks for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, and draft compensation. It was roughly 24-36 hours later that Kevin Durant and T.J. Warren were dealt to Phoenix in a shocking move that returned Cam Johnson, Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, and a handful of first-rounders.

After all of that, the Nets have a completely new-look basketball team, featuring Dinwiddie, Bridges, Johnson, Crowder, Ben Simmons, Nic Claxton, Finney-Smith, Seth Curry, Joe Harris, Royce O’Neale, and Cam Thomas.

The big question now is whether or not the Nets are done, or will they continue to try and move pieces around for further future draft compensation? Brooklyn could likely get several more picks for Cam Johnson, Mikal Bridges, and anyone else they wanted to move. What will the Nets’ strategy be? Only time will tell.

Now, we must address the immediate betting implications for this particular game. Will Johnson, Bridges, Finney-Smith, Dinwiddie, and others even be available for this matchup? What will their starting lineup and rotation look like?

Frankly, there are too many questions with Brooklyn at the moment in terms of what the next 24 hours will look like to even consider betting on it in this game, despite the fact that it plays the abysmal Chicago Bulls. I will roll with the Bulls against the spread and their moneyline here.

Betting Trends

Chicago is 12-13-1 ATS on the road in 2022-23
Brooklyn is 13-12-1 ATS at home in 2022-23
The combined over record of these two teams is 49-58-1 in 2022-23

Key Matchups

With so many players being moved from the Nets’ roster this week, we will turn to the only current “consistent” on their team, Cam Thomas. Thomas will battle the Chicago backcourt, featuring Ayo Dosunmu and Alex Caruso; see which will have the advantage below!

Cam Thomas vs. Chicago Backcourt

It would be borderline criminal to not highlight the recent play of Cam Thomas, a player who had been overshadowed in the Nets’ rotation due to Kyrie Irving and their previous backcourt. In his past three games, Thomas has averaged 45 points per game, eclipsing 40 points in all of them, on a 56/56/90 shooting split.

Once again, Thomas will be in a situation where he has the ultimate green light, and while Chicago does allow the sixth-fewest points to opposing point guards, there is simply no way to put out this fire; it just has to stop on its own. Advantage: Thomas.

Chicago Bulls Starting Lineups

PG: Ayo Dosunmu
SG: Alex Caruso
SF: Zach LaVine
PF: Patrick Williams
C: Nikola Vucevic

Chicago Bulls Team Pages

Brooklyn Nets Starting Lineup

PG: Cam Thomas
SG: Joe Harris
SF: Royce O’Neale
PF: Ben Simmons
C: Nic Claxton

Brooklyn Nets Team Pages

Key Injuries

Chicago Bulls Injuries: Lonzo Ball (Out), Javonte Green (Out), Patrick Williams (Q), DeMar DeRozan (Q), Alex Caruso (P)

Brooklyn Nets Injuries: Seth Curry (Out), Yuta Watanabe (Q), Day’Ron Sharpe (Q)

Andrew Norton

Drew is a lead NBA writer at Lineups.com where he has been covering in-season basketball coverage to the NBA Draft. He is a former collegiate player who now spends time diving into NBA prospects and evaluating the analytics of the NBA.