Wizards vs. Bulls Betting Odds – February 24
Carrie Stroup here with your Wizards vs. Bulls betting odds for Wednesday night Chicago -1, Total: 212
WASHINGTON WIZARDS (26-29) at CHICAGO BULLS (29-26)
Derrick Rose and the Bulls will be looking to win their third straight game when they host the Wizards on Wednesday.
Washington has played very well since the break, winning-and-covering in their third straight game after a 109-89 victory as a five-point favorite against New Orleans on Tuesday. The Wizards have been playing some smart basketball lately and that has helped them turn things around a bit. They have committed just 10 turnovers per game over the past four games and if they can continue to avoid mistakes then they should be able to get themselves back in the playoff picture quickly.
The Bulls have also played some solid basketball since the break, covering in all three of the games they’ve played, and winning their most recent two SU. Chicago is coming off of a 126-115 win as a seven-point home favorite against the Lakers on Sunday and the team has now shot better than 51% from the field in back-to-back games.
These two teams have met just once this season and the Wizards won that game 114-100 as a nine-point road underdog. Washington has been dominant in this series over the years, going 9-4 SU and 8-5 ATS when facing Chicago in the past three seasons. That includes a 6-1 record both SU and ATS when playing in Chicago. Six of those seven games have gone Over the total as well.
One thing that stands out when looking at this game is the fact that the Bulls are 0-9 ATS when facing Southeast division opponents this season. The Wizards, meanwhile, are 21-9 ATS in road games against Central division opponents over the past three seasons.
The Wizards had no trouble defeating the Pelicans on Tuesday, winning 109-89 in a game that PG John Wall (19.8 PPG, 9.8 APG, 4.7 RPG, 2.0 SPG) completely dominated. Wall posted a triple-double in the win, racking up 16 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists in 32 minutes of action. The Wizards will need more of the same on Wednesday as well. This game could come down to who wins the matchup between Wall and Derrick Rose, so it’s important that Wall doesn’t let up after his performance on Tuesday.
SG Bradley Beal (18.3 PPG) is somebody that really needs to get back on track for Washington. He was just 3-for-10 with nine points in the win over the Pelicans on Tuesday, but he has an opportunity to have a really good game against Chicago. Beal will not have to deal with Butler in this one, so he will be able to save some energy on the defensive end. That should allow him to go off offensively and Washington desperately needs that.
One guy that could be an x-factor in this game is PF Jared Dudley (9.2 PPG, 1.0 SPG). Dudley has played very well in his role as a stretch four this season, shooting 45.9% from three. If he can knock down some jumpers early on then it will take a lot of pressure off of his teammates.
The Bulls have won two straight games and PG Derrick Rose (16.5 PPG, 4.8 APG) has looked as good as ever for the team. Over the past three games, Rose is averaging 26.0 PPG and he has been efficient in doing so. Rose is 31-for-54 from the field in that span and Chicago will need him to continue to play like this the rest of the season. His play on Wednesday will be extremely important, though. He needs to hold his own against John Wall or the Bulls will not win this game at home. He would be wise to use his speed and attack the basket, as Wall has been banged up and is not moving as well as he did earlier in the season.
C Pau Gasol (17.1 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 2.0 BPG) will also need to play well for Chicago in this one. Over the past two games, Gasol is averaging 19.5 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 7.0 APG and 3.0 BPG. He has been dominant on both ends of the floor and the Bulls need him to control the paint in this game.
If he can command some extra attention then SF Doug McDermott (8.7 PPG) might be able to continue to light it up for Chicago. McDermott had 30 points in a win over the Raptors last Friday and followed it up with 16 in the win over the Lakers on Sunday. He is 7-for-9 from the outside over the past two games and his ability to score the ball has given this team a huge lift.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
