Atlanta Hawks vs Chicago Bulls Point Spread Picks

The Bulls are 4-1 in their last five games and have won three in a row. The Hawks are 1-4 in their last five games and have lost three consecutive games. Neither team plays defense. Yet the Hawks are favored. Don't see it. The two teams just met in Atlanta this past Sunday. It was a track meet. The Bulls won, 152-150, in the NBA's highest scoring game of the season. Trae Young and Jalen Johnson combined for 71 points for the Hawks. It wasn't enough. The Bulls had nine players scoring in double figures. Dyson Daniels, one of the Hawks' few decent perimeter defenders, logged more than 39 minutes in that game. Daniels is out today because of right hip inflammation. Atlanta is just 5-8 at home. The Hawks do have rapid home revenge. But that means little when no defense is being played, and the other team has all the momentum. Take the Bulls. 

Atlanta averaged 118.2 points last season, but has revamped its roster. The Hawks are averaging 109.7 points and rank 25th in field goal shooting and 23rd from 3-point land (33%). Their last two games have sailed UNDER the total by 17 and 21 points. Chicago is 2-0, playing great defense, No. 1 in points given up (104.5 per game) and third in shooting allowed (41.8%). Both their games have gone UNDER. Take Atlanta/Chicago UNDER the total.

It's the second of a back-to-back for Atlanta after a 122-117 home win over Phoenix last night. This will be the seventh road game over the last eight contests for the Hawks. They're on a 2-4 SU, 1-5 ATS run. The Hawks played last night without forwards De'Andre Hunter (left foot), Larry Nance Jr. (right hand), and Jalen Johnson (shoulder), who missed his fourth straight game. Trae Young played, although he was listed as questionable with an illness. Chicago also played last night and this is their fifth straight home game. The offense is fourth in the NBA in scoring, fifth from 3-point land, and ninth from the charity stripe. The Bulls are on a 4-2 SU, 4-1-1 ATS run at home. Play Chicago. 

Chicago has one of the best road records (9-6) in the Eastern Conference. They've won their last three road games at San Antonio (139-124), Toronto (122-121), and Boston (117-108), the latter as a +14 underdog. The offense is seventh in the NBA in points scored, 11th in shooting, 13th from long range, and fifth from the free-throw line. Meanwhile, Atlanta is on a 3-4 SU, 2-5 ATS run. The offense is 18th from 3-point land and 16th from the line, while the defense is 27th in points given up and 29th at defending beyond the arc. They've failed to cover six of their last seven as a favorite. The Hawks have lost twice to the Bulls this season, 125-113 and 136-122, both times as a favorite. Play Chicago.