Portland Trail Blazers vs Chicago Bulls: Prediction and Betting Tips | March 18, 2024
The Portland Trail Blazers will be looking to avoid their third defeat in a row when they travel to the United Center to take on the Chicago Bulls on Monday. Their opponents came out victors against the Washington Wizards on Saturday.
24-year-old shooting guard Ayo Dosunmu erupted for a career-high 34 points while Nikola Vucevic contributed with 29 points and 13 rebounds. The Bulls will further be propelled by the potential returns of Coby White and Alex Caruso, both players listed as questionable for this matchup.
The Trail Blazers, on the other hand, have injury concerns as Malcolm Brogdon and Jerami Grant have been ruled out, with Matisse Thybulle listed as questionable for the game. DeAndre Ayton has hit form lately but Portland has lost two in a row and is up against an opposition hoping to find further momentum for a playoff push.
Portland Trail Blazers vs Chicago Bulls prediction, preview and betting tips
The match is set to tip off at 8:00 p.m. ET on Monday. It will be telecast on NBC Sports Chicago and ROOT SPORTS Plus and will also be live on radio on multiple channels.
Spread: Chicago -6.5
Moneyline: Chicago -269, Portland +216
Total: 213
Portland Trail Blazers vs Chicago Bulls Preview
The Portland Trail Blazers have struggled to get momentum going and are reeling at 14th in the Western Conference. They have lost six of their last eight games despite opening the month with two straight victories and have struggled with a lack of depth.
Anfernee Simons and Ayton have been the lone bright sparks while Dalano Banton has emerged as the third offensive scorer. He led the team with 28 points against the Pelicans and has shot 38.7% beyond the arc on 4.7 attempts per game this season.
The Bulls appear to be the favorites for this contest and have benefited from Dosunmu’s recent run of form. DeMar DeRozan scored 13 points against the Wizards and will be looking to get back to his recent run against the Trail Blazers.
With Coby White and Caruso expected to return in a matter of days, the Bulls look set to rise up the conference in the coming weeks.
Portland Trail Blazers vs Chicago Bulls Betting Tips
There are plenty of reasons why the Chicago Bulls are being seen as the favorites to win this one. The Bulls are very much in playoff contention with multiple in-form stars while the Trail Blazers have struggled to contain opponents inside the paint.
Ayo Dosunmu and DeMar DeRozan are in prime form while the Bulls also have a favorable record at home. The Chicago Bulls are the safe bets for this matchup.
Portland Trail Blazers vs Chicago Bulls Prediction
The Bulls are the obvious favorites for this one. They have the home-court advantage, in-form stars, and the personnel to cause real problems to a makeshift Trail Blazers defense. Expect a high-scoring victory for the Chicago Bulls in this one.