Atlanta Hawks vs Chicago Bulls Prediction, Odds, Best Bets - Opening Week

Chicago has the worst defense in basketball and one win to show for it, and Atlanta brings the highest-scoring attack the Bulls have hosted lately. That sounds like a rout. The total at the United Center says the market expects a track meet instead, and track meets are where bad home teams refuse to go away.

The Matchup

Chicago is 1-9, scores 113.3 points per game and allows 128.8, the worst defensive mark on tonight's board by a distance. Norman Powell leads the Bulls at 19.2 points per game, and he is questionable tonight with a shoulder injury. Josh Giddey runs the offense at 8.3 assists per game, and Jalen Smith leads Chicago at 7.4 rebounds per game. Caleb Wilson is out tonight with a hand injury, and he is expected to miss four to six weeks. Keep an eye on whether Powell plays before placing a bet.

Atlanta is 7-5, scores 118.3 and allows 116.2, a good team that plays fast and defends loosely. Nickeil Alexander-Walker leads the Hawks at 21.9 points per game, and Jalen Johnson leads Atlanta at 8.6 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game, the most complete line on either roster.

Both teams have played ten or more games, so these are this season's numbers with nothing carried over. DraftKings makes Atlanta a 6.5-point road favorite at the United Center, with a total of 246.5 and the Hawks at -263 on the moneyline.

Key Factors

The total tells the story of this game before the spread does. These teams combine to score 231.6 points per game and combine to allow far more than that, and the posted total of 246.5 is the highest on the slate. In a game with this many possessions, a road favorite has to keep scoring for four quarters to build a margin, and Atlanta's own defense keeps handing Chicago chances to answer.

Giddey's pace is Chicago's one real weapon. The Bulls play fast, score in transition before defenses set, and turn home games into exchanges. Exchanges favor the team catching points, because the favorite's superiority shows up in half-court stops that this game may rarely ask for.

The honest counter is obvious. Chicago allows 128.8 points per game, Atlanta has the deeper and better roster, and if Powell sits the Bulls lose their top scorer on top of everything else. A focused Atlanta team can end this by halftime. The bet is that Chicago's pace prevents focus from mattering.

Every pick is published with its line before the game. Odds via consensus sportsbooks at time of writing and move constantly. Must be 21+. If gambling is a problem, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.