Nobody seems to be talking about the German powerhouse, Dirk Nowitzki. Over his last five matchups against Chicago, Dirk has been averaging 30 points per game. As a die-hard Bulls fan, that number feels entirely predictable to me, mostly because I’ve been constantly wondering who on our roster actually has the tools to guard him. The truth is, nobody really does. Maybe Gibson could hang in there, or perhaps Noah, though he'll likely spend the start of the game stuck on him. Boozer would have an incredibly difficult time. Dirk only logged about 28 minutes yesterday, so we might see him pushed for more playtime tonight, which translates to even more opportunities for him to clear the 22-point mark.
Furthermore, I am anticipating a Chicago victory this evening. Rose is expected to be in the starting lineup—we should see the official reports around 6:00 or 7:00 PM—and Deng is back in action. Meanwhile, Dallas is heading into this without Kidd. The stakes couldn't be more lopsided: this win is absolutely vital for Chicago's momentum, whereas the Mavericks have already locked up their playoff spot and are essentially settled into the 6th seed in the West.
Best of luck to all the players out there tonight. 👋
Well, this essentially boils down to Miami’s final shot at the season if they slip up here:
K.C. Johnson @KCJHoop Close If the Bulls beat the Heat, they lock up the top seed in the East by winning the season series. If they lose, their magic number stays at 3 due to the tiebreaker situation.
So, if the Bulls lose, they're guaranteed the number one spot regardless. If they don't, there's still a fighting chance.
1.55 on the Heat is a decent line, and I suspect it’ll drop quickly once the news breaks that Dwyane Wade is sitting this one out.
Miami rested both Wade and Bosh for tonight; yesterday, both squads handled the Raptors with relative ease. This game carries significant weight. A win here puts the Heat within striking distance of the Chicago Bulls for first place, whereas a Bulls victory essentially clinches the race. Unfortunately, Derrick Rose is very unlikely to suit up. There's a slim chance he plays if that fluid buildup in his leg subsides—expect an update around 6:00 or 7:00 PM—but I wouldn't hold my breath. It’s better if he recovers fully before the Dallas matchup on Saturday. Luol Deng will likely be in the lineup, which should at least slow LeBron down slightly.
While every previous matchup between these two teams has been a nail-biter right down to the final minutes (with the exception of the first game of the Conference Finals), I don't see that being the case tonight. I expect Miami to handle business fairly comfortably. If the spread ends up under 5.5, I’m taking that as well.
Additionally, I like the Nash under as a secondary play. We have to account for the fact that Nash played last night—though only for 28 minutes—and we also have to factor in Chris Paul, who is widely regarded as an elite defensive point guard. In his last two appearances, Nash managed only 7 total points.
Jacob Price23 said:The Bobcats were playing under 83.5, but they already hit 10 within just three and a half minutes. It was a rough start. 🙂
And the Bobcats kept scoring like that for the rest of the period. This serves as a lesson to everyone posting comments after only a few minutes have passed, or even at the end of a quarter.
Now, they’re bringing in a second, more defensive lineup.
WojYahooNBA Man! My sources are saying the Charlotte coach, Paul Silas, actually shoved Tyrus Thomas into a locker this past Sunday night; the organization had to step in and separate the two. tinyurl.com/ce8z4nb
James Taylor3 said:Regarding today's slate, the matchup between Detroit and Cleveland is actually quite interesting. I honestly don't know what possessed the Pistons to pull that win against the Bulls last night. There are at least four or five other teams sitting right there with the exact same record; it would probably be smarter for them to just play the odds, lose some games, and boost their chances at a better draft pick. A rebuild is their priority regardless.
Detroit lost in overtime to the Bulls the night before last, and then they went ahead and dropped one to the Wizards tonight. 🙂
Update regarding tonight’s lineup: Deng is very likely out.
EDIT: It's looking like they are both out.
K.C Johnson @KCJHoop Close DRose and Deng both out vs. Wizards. DRose injury not believed serious. Something flared in right foot overnight Sunday. #Bulls
Lawrence Castillo76 said:I don't see how that even relates to my point. That kind of thing happens once in a blue moon. But seeing a three-pointer hit in the final seconds of regulation? That happens almost every single week. It’s a shame we couldn't pull off the win last night. But hey, they finally answered to their new owner, and the guys decided to show exactly what he paid for.
Andrew Thomas55 said:It's like an unwritten rule for them—they won't intentionally foul when there's only a three-point lead. They just try to play defense and let things play out. Honestly, I was surprised when I first learned that a few years back.
K. C. Johnson @KCJHoop Reply Retweet Favorite · open BG on DRose's tying shot: "Joakim set a hell of a screen in transition. We would have liked to (foul), but he got into his shot quickly."
Arthur Hill2 said:Regarding Boston, we have to mention this is their third game in three nights, though then again, that's just the Bobcats...
I'm looking at wins for Miami and Dallas in these "national" matchups, taking the over on LeBron James, and so on... but tonight is just for fun. Betting takes a backseat.🙂
That specific feeling when you spend the entire game hyper-focused on LeBron James' productivity, stressing over his point total, only to glance down halfway through the fourth quarter and realize you didn't even have him on your ticket.🤣
Dirk Nowitzki is off to a 0-4 start, but he'll be needed later once things get intense.
Thomas Cook54 said:It’s even more of a blast when there’s a great game on and you actually have a parlay running to follow along with.😁
Look, I put a little something down, but I'm not talking about any serious stakes here. I'm certainly not expecting a massive payout. If it hits, it hits.👍