The Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Toronto Raptors — who currently hold the fifth, sixth, and seventh seeds, respectively — all play tonight. Chicago will face CJ McCollum and the New Orleans Pelicans, while the Cavaliers and Raptors will face off against each other. The glass-half-full way to interpret that is that one team will lose and fall ever closer to the Nets in the standings.
Brooklyn currently sits four and a half games behind Chicago, three and a half behind Cleveland, and just two and a half games behind the Toronto Raptors.
Betting Lines
Per FanDuel, Toronto opens tonight’s game as the favorites to win the matchup.
- Spread: Toronto -5
- Toronto Moneyline: -200
- Cleveland Moneyline: +168
- O/U: 215
Chicago Bulls @ New Orleans Pelicans (8 p.m.)
Chicago comes to New Orleans following a rough outing against the Milwaukee Bucks. Things aren’t expected to be much better as the Bulls will be missing two stars heading into the matchup. Point guard Lonzo Ball remains out after suffering a setback following arthroscopic knee surgery. Chicago will also be without DeMar DeRozan, who is dealing with a strained adductor following the loss to Milwaukee.
The Pelicans, meanwhile, are not without their own injury concerns as they continue to be without Brandon Ingram, Larry Nance, and Kira Lewis. This is not to forget — for lack of a better term — the elephant in the room, Zion Williamson, who has yet to play a game this season. In spite of these losses, the Pelicans are expected to take tonight’s game which plays very well into the Brooklyn Nets’ hands.
Betting Lines
Per FanDuel, New Orleans opens tonight’s game as the favorites to win the matchup.
- Spread: New Orleans -3
- Chicago Moneyline: +122
- New Orleans Moneyline: -144
- O/U: 224
