Bulls vs. Nets Betting Line – 2013 NBA Playoffs
Carrie Stroup here with your Bulls vs. Nets betting line, courtesy of Sportsbook.com where you can claim your FREE $100 BET here.
Sportsbook.ag Line & Total: Brooklyn -4.5 & 182.5
The Nets open their 2013 playoffs by hosting the Bulls in their first-ever postseason game played in Brooklyn on Saturday night.
Chicago has made a lot out of a season where many weren’t expecting much with the absence of star PG Derrick Rose. The Bulls played their way to the Eastern Conference’s five-seed where they will collide with a Nets team that they beat three times (3-1 SU and ATS) in the regular season. In the most recent meeting on April 4, Chicago won 92-90 at Brooklyn despite missing C Joakim Noah. PF Carlos Boozer dominated that game with 29 points and 18 rebounds, and will not have to worry about defense as much with Noah back on the court Saturday. But the Nets have been tough at home all season (26-15 SU, 16-23-2 ATS), and closed out the regular season with 11 wins in their final 16 games (9-7 ATS). The Bulls have been a strong road wager all season at 23-17-1 ATS (58%) but were just 3-8 ATS in their final 11 games.
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The Bulls won 45 games in a season in which they played every game without Derrick Rose, plus 16 games without C Joakim Noah, who has been dealing with plantar fasciitis. He returned for the Bulls final two games but played just 14.0 MPG in those contests and totaled six points, six rebounds and four fouls. The Bulls’ star center averaged 11.9 PPG, 11.1 RPG and 2.1 BPG over 36.8 MPG this season and he will need to play at a high level in big minutes if the Bulls are going to pull off the first-round upset. He averaged 16.5 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 5.0 APG and 3.0 BPG in two meetings with Brooklyn this season. SF Luol Deng, who averaged 16.5 PPG and 6.3 RPG this season, will need to play better against the Nets than he did in the regular season where he averaged just 15.3 PPG on 39% FG over the course of four games. However, PF Carlos Boozer averaged 21.3 PPG and 10.7 RPG in the three games he played against the Nets this season. PG Nate Robinson is going to be an X-factor in this series for the Bulls. The point guard played excellent all year for Chicago (13.1 PPG, 4.4 APG) and in four games against the Nets averaged 10.5 PPG and 6.3 APG. The Bulls will need help from everywhere in their lineup to get by the Nets without Rose.
Brooklyn finished the year very strong, going 35-19 SU (65%) after P.J Carlesimo took over as head coach. C Brook Lopez had a phenomenal season for the Nets, averaging 19.4 PPG, 6.9 RPG and 2.1 BPG. Lopez was even more dominant against the Bulls this season, averaging 22.0 PPG on 53% FG in the four games against Chicago. PF Reggie Evans (11.1 RPG) is averaging a hefty 13.3 RPG over the past four contests, and he has been everything the Nets have needed next to a poor rebounding center in Lopez. PG Deron Williams has also been red-hot, averaging 25.0 PPG (49% FG) and 9.8 APG in his past four games. With Williams playing like the best point guard in the league since the All-Star break, the Nets will now need SG Joe Johnson to regain his form. The Nets made a large investment in trading for Johnson in the offseason and the former All-Star has disappointed somewhat, averaging just 16.3 PPG on 42% FG this season. Johnson scored just 13.0 PPG on 43% FG versus Chicago this season, but he did, however, end the season with 16.5 PPG on 45% FG (43% threes) in his final four games, scoring at least 20 points in two of those contests. Brooklyn will need Johnson to step up his scoring in the playoffs where he's averaged 18.0 PPG over the past five playoff seasons with Atlanta.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
