Tuesday’s NBA lineup features seven matchups, including the Chicago Bulls (18-20) paying a visit to the Houston Rockets (22-14) for an 8:00 p.m. ET tipoff at the Toyota Center.
Despite both teams carrying a 5-5 record over the previous 10 games, Houston is a significant favorite, with Chicago battling injuries in its backcourt.
Let’s look at the Bulls vs. Rockets prediction, ppread, and total, as well as some takes on a couple of rising stars for PrizePicks
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Bulls vs. Rockets Prediction, Spread, Total
Houston swept last season’s two-game head-to-head series with Chicago, seeing the over in both matchups. The under’s been red-hot for both teams over the last 10 games, sitting at 7-3 for Chicago and 8-2 for Houston.
Bulls guards Josh Giddey (hamstring) and Coby White (injury management) will be absent. For their part, Houston will be thin at wing, as Rockets F Tari Eason (ankle) and F Dorian Finney-Smith (ankle) are out.
Bulls vs. Rockets Over/Under, Spread
According to PrizePicks Team Picks, the Rockets are notable 12.5-point favorites and are returning a 1.16x payout for a win. Tuesday’s 225.5 total points to another low-scoring game for both squads.
- Spread: Houston Rockets -12.5
- Over/Under: 225.5
- Gamer Winner Payout: Bulls 4.76x | Rockets 1.16x
Team picks data is live as of publishing and is subject to change.
Bulls vs. Rockets Prediction on Total
According to NBA Advanced Stats, the Rockets have the third-slowest pace in the league and allow only 87.6 shots per contest (ninth). Chicago has a 38.9% shot distribution around the rim (second) and 43.1% from the 3-point line (11th), per Dunks & Three. Houston has the answer, as it gives up a 30.0% shot distribution around the rim (seventh) and 48.1 points in the paint per game (ninth).
White’s 6.7 3-point shots per game leads the Bulls, and Giddey is tied for fourth with 4.8 attempted triples per contest. Lacking significant contributors from 3-point land, Chicago could be even more reliant on getting to the rim.
The Rockets make 11.6 treys (25th) and launch 31.1 triples per contest (29th). This is one of the Association’s least potent 3-point attacks, featuring a 34.3% shot distribution from beyond the arc (29th).
Houston tends to live in the paint area, sporting a 31.3% shot distribution around the rim (17th) while posting 53.3 points in the paint per game (sixth). It should find its opportunities to attack the painted area, as Chicago cedes a 36.2% shot distribution around the rim (29th) and 53.3 points in the paint per contest (tied for fifth-most).
Bulls vs. Rockets NBA Picks, Stats for PrizePicks Today
Second-year Bulls F Matas Buzelis and third-year Rockets G Amen Thompson are each riding hot streaks, making them potential targets among projections on PrizePicks.
Bulls F Matas Buzelis vs. Rockets Projection: 16.5 Points
- When White and Giddey are off the court, Buzelis’ usage rate jumps to a team-high 26.5% (+4.7%), via FantasyLabs.
- Since December 31, the second-year wing has played in four games with both starting guards absent, averaging 19.3 points per game (PPG).
- He also posted 15.5 field goal attempts per game in the recent four-game sample size, surpassing his season-long average of 11.1.
- Buzelis ranks third on the team with 5.1 shots from deep per contest, potentially taking advantage of Houston allowing a 35.6% 3-point percentage.
Rockets G Amen Thompson vs. Bulls Projection: 18.5 Points
- Thompson racked up 23.2 PPG over six games in January.
- The athletic third-year wing is capable of thriving against the Bulls’ weak paint defense, taking only 2.1 3-point shots per game.
- A part of Houston’s tall lineup, the 6'7" Thompson should have a size advantage against Chicago G Tre Jones (6’1”) and G Ayo Dosunmu (6’4”). Jones (119.3) and Dosunmu (117.3) feature concerning defensive ratings, too.
- After logging 26.3 PPG and 16.7 shots per contest (14.1 on the season) over the last three games, look for the Rockets’ starting guard to stay hot.
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Make Bulls vs. Rockets Picks on PrizePicks
Tonight could be about emerging, young pieces, as Buzelis and Thompson each carry favorable matchups.
Make your Bulls vs. Rockets picks at PrizePicks, where you can earn real-money rewards for your predictions if you’re right. Just choose players — including Matas Buzelis and Amen Thompson — predict More or Less on their projected stats, and follow the hoops action to see if your picks hit. You can make picks on winners, spreads, and over/unders on Team Picks, now available in 30 states.
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