Raptors vs Bulls Prediction NBA Play-In Games Picks 4/12
- A Plus Picks
- Apr 11, 2023, 7:34:34 PM
© John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Game Preview: Bulls vs Raptors in NBA Play-In Game
As the NBA Play-In Tournament kicks off, the Toronto Raptors will host the Chicago Bulls in a do-or-die game for both teams. The winner of this matchup will advance to play for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs. According to experts' NBA picks and computer NBA picks, the Raptors come into this game as favorites with a -5 point spread and an over/under of 214.5. But predictions by NBA today experts reveal that the Bulls could still pull off an upset. Both teams have had similar records in their last 10 games, with the Raptors going 6-4 and the Bulls going 6-4. The Raptors have been averaging 112.6 points, while the Bulls have been averaging 112.8 points. The top performers for the Raptors are Pascal Siakam, who's shooting 48% and averaging 24.2 points per game, and Jakob Poeltl, who's leading the team with 12.7 offensive rebounds per game. On the other hand, the Bulls' top performers are Nikola Vucevic, who's averaging 17.6 points, 11 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game, and Zach LaVine, who's averaging 21.9 points over the last 10 games. Injuries could also play a role in this game. The Raptors will be missing Otto Porter Jr., while O.G. Anunoby and Fred VanVleet are day-to-day. Meanwhile, the Bulls will be without Justin Lewis and Lonzo Ball for the remainder of the season. Ultimately, with both teams fighting for their playoff lives, this game could come down to the wire.
Bulls: Offensive Analysis
In this crucial NBA Play-In Tournament game, the Chicago Bulls will face the Toronto Raptors in Toronto. Both teams will be fighting to advance and secure a spot in the playoffs. The game is set to tip-off at 7 p.m. EDT and the Raptors are favored by 5 points, with an over/under of 214.5 according to NBA picks experts and computer NBA picks em predictions. The Bulls offense has struggled this season, ranking only 22nd in points per game with an average of 113.1. However, they have shown some improvement in the last 10 games, averaging 112.8 points per game and shooting an impressive 50.3% from the field. This can be attributed to the solid performances by their top performers, Nikola Vucevic and Zach LaVine. Vucevic is averaging 17.6 points, 11 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game, while LaVine is averaging 21.9 points over the last 10 games. Chicago's offense will need to step up against the Toronto Raptors, who have a strong defense that ranks 4th in the league in points per game allowed, only giving up 111.4 points per game. This can be a daunting challenge for the Bulls, who will need to find ways to score against an efficient defense. The Bulls have struggled with their shooting this season, ranking 28th in effective field goal percentage at only 51.7%. They will need to improve their shooting efficiency to overcome the tough defense of the Raptors. Overall, the Bulls will need a strong offensive performance to secure a win and advance to the playoffs. In conclusion, the Bulls will need to rely on the strong performances of Vucevic and LaVine, while also improving their shooting efficiency, to overcome the Raptors' defense and secure a win. With NBA picks and parlays and NBA experts picks placing the Raptors as the favorite, the Bulls will need to up their game to prove them wrong and secure a spot in the playoffs.
Bulls: Defensive Analysis
The Chicago Bulls enter the NBA Playoffs Play-In Tournament as the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference and face the Toronto Raptors, the 9th seed. It is a must-win game for both teams as the winner advances to play for the final spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Bulls have a solid defense, ranking 7th in the league in points allowed per game with 111.8, and they are led by center Nikola Vucevic who averages 9.1 defensive rebounds per game. Meanwhile, the Raptors average 112.9 points per game, ranking 24th in the league, and rank 11th in points in paint per game with 49.1. The Bulls defense will need to step up and limit the Raptors' scoring opportunities, especially from inside the paint. They will also need to focus on guarding their perimeter and limit their 3-point shooting, as Toronto averages only 33.5% from deep. Furthermore, the Bulls need to rely on their guard duo of Lonzo Ball and Patrick Beverly to provide solid perimeter defense and disrupt the Raptors' ball movement. On the other hand, the Raptors have a turnover-prone offense, averaging 11.7 turnovers per game, and the Bulls' defense should look to take advantage of this weakness and force turnovers. Overall, the Bulls have a solid defense that can disrupt the Raptors' offense, but they will need to bring their A-game and execute their defensive strategies to advance in the Play-In Tournament.
Raptors: Offense Analysis
In this crucial Play-In Tournament game against the Chicago Bulls, the Toronto Raptors will need their offense to come through in order to advance in the tournament. Let's take a closer look at their offensive statistics and key players. The Raptors have struggled to score consistently this season, averaging just 112.9 points per game, which ranks 24th in the league. However, Pascal Siakam has been a bright spot, averaging 24.2 points per game and shooting 48% from the field. He will need to continue to shoulder the scoring load for Toronto in this game. Another player to watch is OG Anunoby, who is averaging 2.4 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games for the Raptors. However, his status for this game is listed as day-to-day due to an ankle injury, so his availability may be in question. Toronto's offensive rebounding has been a strength this season, leading the Eastern Conference with 12.7 offensive rebounds per game. Jakob Poeltl has been a key contributor, averaging 3.3 offensive rebounds per game. On the other hand, the Bulls have been strong defensively, ranking 7th in the league in opponent points per game. The Raptors will need to find ways to score against this tough defense in order to have a chance to win this game and advance in the Play-In Tournament. Overall, the Raptors' offense will need to step up in this crucial game against the Bulls. While their scoring has been inconsistent this season, Siakam and Anunoby will need to be at their best in order to lead Toronto to victory.
Raptors: Defensive Analysis
The Toronto Raptors will host the Chicago Bulls in a Play-In game with the winner advancing to play for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs. The Raptors have gone 26-26 against Eastern Conference teams and will rely heavily on their defensive efforts to secure a victory. Toronto's defense has been solid this season, ranking fourth in points allowed per game (111.4) and leading the league in steals per game (9.4). They also have a strong presence on the boards, averaging 50.4 rebounds per game (10th in the league). A key player to watch on the defensive end for the Raptors is OG Anunoby. Although he is listed as day-to-day with an ankle injury, Anunoby has been a force on the defensive end this season, averaging 1.5 steals per game. Pascal Siakam has also been a valuable contributor defensively, averaging 1.1 steals and 0.7 blocks per game. Meanwhile, the Bulls have struggled defensively this season, ranking 22nd in points allowed per game (113.1) and 29th in three-point percentage allowed (37.4%). They will need to improve defensively in order to keep up with the Raptors. Overall, the Raptors have the edge defensively in this matchup and will need to rely on their strengths in order to secure a victory and advance to the next round of the Play-In tournament. NBA picks experts and NBA picks computer are likely to favor the Raptors in this game.
Injury Report Analysis
Both the Toronto Raptors and Chicago Bulls are dealing with injuries ahead of their play-in game matchup. The Raptors have listed O.G. Anunoby and Fred VanVleet as day-to-day with ankle and thumb injuries respectively. Meanwhile, Otto Porter Jr. is out for the season with a foot injury. For the Bulls, Justin Lewis is out for the season with a knee injury while Lonzo Ball is also out for the season with a knee issue. These injuries could impact both teams' strategies and rotations heading into the game. The absence of Anunoby and VanVleet, two key players for the Raptors, could leave their offense without some important pieces. However, the Bulls will also miss Ball's perimeter defense and play-making abilities. Overall, both teams will have to adjust to their injury situations, and it will be interesting to see how they do so in this high-stakes matchup.
| Player | Team | Position | Injury Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Otto Porter Jr. | Toronto Raptors | SF | Out for season (foot) |
| O.G. Anunoby | Toronto Raptors | SF | Day to day (ankle) |
| Fred VanVleet | Toronto Raptors | SG | Day to day (thumb) |
| Justin Lewis | Chicago Bulls | F | Out for season (knee) |
| Lonzo Ball | Chicago Bulls | PG | Out for season (knee) |
Betting Trends
The upcoming NBA Play-In Tournament game between the Chicago Bulls and the Toronto Raptors is generating a lot of attention among NBA picks experts, with many predictions and NBA picks computed by various algorithms. Here's a rundown of the betting trends for both teams: The Toronto Raptors, the home team for this game, are favored by 5 points with an over/under of 214.5. The Raptors have gone 26-26 against Eastern Conference teams this season, while the Bulls have a record of 27-25 in Eastern Conference play. In their last 10 games, the Raptors have a record of 6-4, averaging 112.6 points, 43.6 rebounds, 26.1 assists, 10.1 steals, and 5.6 blocks per game while shooting 47.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 105.9 points per game during that stretch. On the other hand, the Bulls also have a record of 6-4 in their last 10 games, averaging 112.8 points, 40.1 rebounds, 26.5 assists, 9.3 steals, and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 50.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.8 points per game during that stretch. In terms of injuries, the Raptors will be without Otto Porter Jr. for the season due to a foot injury, and OG Anunoby and Fred VanVleet are listed as day-to-day with ankle and thumb injuries, respectively. Meanwhile, Justin Lewis is out for the season for the Bulls, while Lonzo Ball is also out for the season due to a knee injury. As for the teams' stats, both the Bulls and Raptors have strengths and weaknesses in different areas of the game. For example, the Bulls rank ninth in the NBA with 33.9 defensive rebounds per game led by Nikola Vucevic averaging 9.1, while the Raptors have the second-best offensive rebound percentage in the league at 27.8% thanks in part to Jakob Poeltl averaging 3.3 offensive rebounds per game. Ultimately, with the winner of this game advancing to play for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, both teams will be fighting hard to secure a spot.
Prediction
Experts and computer NBA picks have favored the Toronto Raptors in their play-in game against the Chicago Bulls. The Raptors have the advantage in both offense and defense stats, and are coming off of a 6-4 record in their last 10 games. While the Bulls have a strong offensive record, their defense is lacking and they have struggled against Eastern Conference teams. In this game, the Raptors are expected to use their advantage on the boards to control the pace of play and secure a win. Pascal Siakam and Jakob Poeltl will provide a strong presence under the basket, while OG Anunoby's expected return from injury will give the team an additional boost. Meanwhile, the Bulls will need a standout performance from Zach LaVine to overcome their shortcomings on defense. Overall, the Raptors are the stronger team and are motivated to secure the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. They should be able to win, cover the spread and make it to the playoffs.
Pick: Raptors (-5)
