Chicago Bulls at Orlando Magic Betting Odds
Opening Line: Chicago / Orlando O/U 203
Time: 8 PM EST Thursday March 11, 2010 on TNT
Tonight the streaking Magic host the struggling Chicago Bulls in an Eastern Conference match up. This game features the hottest and coldest teams in the East, as the Magic have won 6 in a row and are 8-2 in their last 10 games and the Bulls have lost 5 straight and are 4-6 in their last 10 games. With their recent slide the Bulls have fallen out of the top 8 in the East, as they trail Miami, Charlotte, and Toronto by one game for the 8th and last playoff spot.
This season the Magic are 26-6 at home and 32-29-4 ATS and the Bulls are 12-19 on the road and 30-31-2 ATS.
Both teams played on Tuesday with different results, as the Magic crushed the L.A. Clippers 113-87 while the Bulls were crushed by the Utah Jazz 132-108.
Chicago's defense is the reason they are losing, as in their 5-game skid they have given up an average of 115 ppg. They have to really improve on that, to say the least, as they are not a high-scoring offense only ranking 23rd in the league in scoring (97.5 ppg).
At least the Bulls have not been losing to cream puffs, as their last 4 losses have come to team in the playoff picture. It does not get any easier for Chicago, as their next 4 games, which are all on the road, are against teams looking to make the post-season.
The Bulls will really have to suck it up and play good team defense, especially in the paint, as starting C Joakim Noah (10.7 ppg 11.4 rpg) is out with a foot injury. That may kill them tonight, as they are not a good interior defensive team and they will be facing the most dominant big man in the league in Magic C Dwight Howard (18.6 ppg 13.3 rpg).
Brad Miller (8.3 ppg 4.5 rpg) has to man up and put his big body on Howard with Noah out of the lineup.
The Bulls also have to play good perimeter defense, as the Magic can flat out shoot the rock and Orlando PG Jameer Nelson (12.6 ppg) has been on fore as of late averaging 16.4 ppg in his last 10 games.
For the Bulls to have any chance in this game Derrick Rose (20.6 ppg) will have to put up some solid offensive numbers, Kirk Hinrich (10.6 ppg) will have to shoot the rock well, and Luol Deng (18 ppg) has to score inside to space the floor for Chicago.
Chicago is 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games, 5-1 ATS in their last 6 road games against teams with a winning home record, and has an Over record of 5-2 in their last 7 games.
Orlando is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games, 4-0 ATS in their last 4 home games against teams with a losing road record, and has an Under record of 5-0-1 in their last 6 home games.
In the last 5 meetings between these 2 teams in Orlando the total has gone Over 5 times.
Our Selection : This gets used a lot, but this really is a case of two teams going in the opposite direction. This obvious point was not missed by the sportsbooks opening this game at Magic minus 12.5. The line looks fair, but any one who follows us knows that we'd never lay double digits on any game. We're going to look towards a total play on this game. The betting line on this game opened at 204 and has been bet up to 206 at most online betting shops. We're going to go against the bettors in this game. Orlando is allowing only 93.4 points per game at home this season and have held their last 6 visiting opponents to 95 or fewer points. The Bulls will be without Luol Deng in this game and possibly without Taj Gibson, so we see them struggling to even reach 90 in this game. That gives us the needed wiggle room on the Magic. Take the under 206 listed atBodog.
Future Betting Odds
NBA Handicapping
Orlando Magic at Boston Celtics 5-28
The Magic have won 2 games in a row in this series and look to tie the series tonight, as the Boston Celtics hosts Orlando in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals. The Magic have got back in this series and look to become the first team ever in the NBA to come back from a 3-0 deficit. The Celtics are small 3.5 point favorite at Bodog tonight when they try to close out this series at home.