Central Division Rivals Meet
The Chicago Bulls and Indiana Pacers continue their rivalry on Tuesday, with the two teams heading in different directions.
The Bulls have won three on the bounce to improve to 22-24. The Pacers have dropped seven in a row, setting in an air of desperation for the home team.
NBA betting markets have the Bulls at -1 to continue their good run of form.
Let’s check the latest NBA news, stats, injury report and NBA lines for Bulls vs Pacers. We’ve got plenty of NBA picks for you to consider.
Bulls Closing Gap
The Bulls were 10 games behind the Pacers at one stage, but the gap has closed, and they now have their sights set on moving further up the division.
They are still two games under .500, but after posting a 126-108 win over Detroit and a 111-100 win over Atlanta yesterday, they’re heading in the right direction.
This team is capable of producing the goods, and the sportsbook is starting to take notice. The -1 favorite is 24-20-2 against the spread (ATS) and it could continue to be well-backed.
In the previous meeting with the Pacers, the Bulls emerged victorious 124-109, so that should give the visitors confidence ahead of the important game. Putting up 132 on the Warriors on Sunday is another confidence booster.
Nikola Vucevic matched his career high 43 points against Golden State.
“I know I’m capable of it,” Vucevic said. “I know how good I am, especially at the offensive end. It’s just me finding my spots and playing that way.”
We see most of the money coming for the Bulls, who also have DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine at their disposal.
Pacers Happy to be Home
After a dreadful road trip where the Pacers went 0-4 straight up and ATS, they return home where they have a 15-9 record.
The Pacers have a 26-22 ATS record, but most of those wins came earlier. They have failed to cover the betting online spread in seven of their last eight, so it has been a rough time for bettors.
The biggest problem has been defense. They allowed 130 against Memphis, 132 against Milwaukee, and 134 against Denver. It’s not good enough and there are no real excuses for the lack of defensive execution.
Indiana is hoping that being home is enough to see its form turnaround. Otherwise, it will continue to slip down the division rankings. The Pacers are already 7½ games behind Milwaukee and the gap was much closer a couple of weeks ago.
Bettors are losing confidence in the Pacers. However, they are 8-4 ATS at home against teams under .500.
Bulls vs Pacers Game Injuries
Bulls vs Pacers Head-to-Head
The Bulls have won and covered the spread in their last two games against the Pacers.
It’s a 5-5 split across the last 10 games, but the Bulls are 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings, so they have the momentum in this match.
Bulls vs Pacers Game Information
- Game: Bulls (22-24) vs Pacers (23-25)
- Day/Time: Tuesday, Jan. 24, 7:00 p.m. ET
- Location: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
- Bulls vs Pacers Live Stream: NBA Game Pass
Bulls vs Pacers Betting Lines
Bulls vs Pacers Picks and Prediction
The Bulls have all the momentum, and despite playing on the road, we’re picking them to cover the -1 spread.
They have had the wood over the Pacers recently and we expect a big performance from the three-pronged attack of the Bulls.
Bettors should also include Over 235½ in NBA picks. It should be a high-scoring contest with Indiana’s defense not turning up.
Bulls vs Pacers Trends
Bulls vs Pacers Edge
Bulls vs Pacers Results
Bulls vs Pacers Game Summary
Pacers vs Bulls Previous Game (Oct. 26, 2022)
Through the first four games, the Indiana Pacers have been able to remain competitive, allowing their offense to lead the way. The Chicago Bulls are off to a .500 start, with a lot of that having to do with injuries as the team is trying to fill in the gaps.
The Pacers are coming off a blowout loss against the Philadelphia 76ers, beaten by a better team that needed a win. After looking like the Bulls would lose big to the Boston Celtics, they flipped it, winning by 18 points.
Based on the difference in talent level on each team, this seems like it should be a straightaway win for the Bulls. On the other hand, the Pacers have had a solid offense that can put up points while the Bulls have struggled at times to score. The Bulls’ defense has at least been stable, proving balance to the team.
LaVine was starting to get into a groove against the Celtics and that can carry over. The Bulls could win big. The Pacers’ offense runs through two players, and the Bulls have the perimeter defenders to slow them down.