Hawks vs Bulls Picks, Odds | NBA Play-In Tournament Prediction

Hawks vs Bulls Picks, Odds | NBA Play-In Tournament Prediction

The 2024 SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament resumes with a pair of Eastern Conference battles on ESPN on Wednesday night -- and the second matchup of the evening we'll be previewing is Hawks vs Bulls, which is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. ET.

The Hawks are 3-point underdogs on the spread in Wednesday's contest, while the total is set at over/under 220.5 total points at DraftKings.

Here's everything you need to know about Hawks vs Bulls -- the latest betting odds, as well as our expert picks and prediction for the NBA Play-In Tournament on Wednesday, April 17.

Hawks vs Bulls Odds

ATL @ CHI Odds

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Hawks vs Bulls Picks & Prediction

I expect the Hawks to be a trendy upset pick in this matchup with Trae Young back in the lineup for Atlanta. However, I’m not sure how much the return of Young moves the needle for a Hawks team that owns the worst record against the spread in the NBA by a comfortable margin (29-53 ATS) – and a record of 22-32 straight-up in 54 games with Young this season.

After missing 23 games from February 25 to to April 9, Young finally returned to the Hawks’ lineup for the final three games of the regular season – and it resulted in a 1-point loss to Charlotte, a 3-point loss to Minnesota, and a 42-point loss to Indiana, granted Trae played less than 30 minutes in two of those contests.

The Hawks have the ability to beat anybody on any given night thanks to their fast-paced offensive attack (5th - Pace) – ranked 5th in points per game and 12th in offensive rating. However, the crux of this Atlanta team is (and always will be) their defense on the perimeter as long as Young remains the focal point of the roster.

The Hawks rank 28th in points allowed and 27th in defensive rating on the season – which is the same song and dance we’ve seen from Atlanta the last few years after ranking 26th in points allowed and 22nd in defensive rating last year, 20th in points allowed and 26th in defensive rating the year before that, and then 21st in defensive rating the year before that.

Chicago certainly isn’t anything to write home about either. But after stumbling out to a miserable 5-14 start to the season, the Bulls managed to bounce back and go 34-29 the rest of the way, while ranking 16th in offensive rating and 21st in defensive rating on the latter part of that divide – equating to Chicago’s 20th-ranked net rating, which aligns them perfectly alongside Atlanta in that department at 21st.

The Hawks and Bulls matched up three times during the regular season – and the Bulls won both games Young participated in, and the Hawks won the one game he was absent. 

I’m not saying the Hawks are better off without Young. What I am saying though, is that there’s no need to fear Atlanta simply because Trae is back in the lineup. The Hawks have been the worst ATS bet in the NBA all season. Don’t let them fool you one last time on their way out the door.

Pick: Bulls -3 (-110)

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Hawks vs Bulls Game Time & TV Channel

Date: Wednesday, April 17
Matchup: Southeast vs Central
Venue: United Center
Location: Chicago, IL
Time-TV: ESPN, 9:30 p.m. ET

Hawks vs Bulls Betting Stats

9) Chicago Bulls
(4th Place, Central)

  • Odds to Win Finals: +100000
  • Odds to Win Conference: +2900
  • SU: 39-43
  • ATS: 41-40-1
  • O/U: 44-37-1
  • PPG: 112.3
  • OPPG: 113.7

10) Atlanta Hawks
(3rd Place, Southeast)

  • Odds To Win Finals: +100000
  • Odds to Win Conference: +3700
  • SU: 36-46
  • ATS: 29-53
  • O/U: 46-36
  • PPG: 118.3
  • OPPG: 120.5

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