Charlotte Hornets vs. Chicago Bulls Preview: Odds, Lines, Predictions

With two games remaining in the regular season, the Charlotte Hornets need every possible win if they want to compete for the eighth seed in the East. Coming off of a demolition of the Magic last night, the Swarm have a bizarre home-then-away back-to-back tonight against the Chicago Bulls.

Keys to the Game

Win the battle behind the arc. The Bulls are one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the league. The Hornets usually give up the second-most threes made and attempted per game, but that is not how Chicago likes to play. They rank 29th in threes made and 30th in threes attempted per game. If Charlotte can secure some wide-open looks from deep, the court will open up for slashers to make their way to the basket. If the triples start falling for the Swarm, Chicago is not an explosive team from deep, and they may struggle to mount a comeback.

Take advantage of momentum. The Hornets have been one of the hottest teams in the league since the All-Star break. With a record of 12-8, the Swarm have won consistently for the first time all season. On the flip side, the Bulls went from being one of the best teams in the East to being one spot above the play-in threshold. Chicago is 7-14 since the All-Star break and has been struggling recently, which means good news for the Swarm.

Odds and Moneyline provided by BetUS

Point Spread: Hornets +2.5

Money line: Hornets +120 / Bulls -140

Over-Under: 234.5

Final Prediction

With the Bulls riding a three-game losing streak, the Hornets might be able to sneak this one out on the road. With the Bulls’ dynamic duo of Zach Lavine and DeMar DeRozan, Chicago is a threat to go off on any night, but LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges, and compary are hungry for playoff experience. This is going to have the makings of a playoff game. The Hornets pull off the upset and eake out a victory, 116-112.