Published Oct 26, 9:51pm ET by
James Tillman - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Oct 26, 9:51pm ET
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One of the games on Monday's NBA slate features the Chicago Bulls hosting the Atlanta Hawks. Who has the edge in our Bulls vs Hawks pick?
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|---|---|
| Chicago Bulls | +1 (-110) |
| Atlanta Hawks | -1 (-110) |
For the second straight night, Chicago faced a playoff opponent. And for the second straight game, this group came out on top. Leading by a slim 83-80 margin over the Magic heading into the fourth quarter, the Bulls used a 27-18 burst in the final frame to pull away for a 110-98 victory.
Chicago flexed a balanced offense, with seven players reaching double figures, including four off the bench. Josh Giddey scored a team-high 21 points, along with eight rebounds and three assists. Jalen Smith and Ayo Dosunmu led the second unit with 16 and 15 points, respectively.
The Bulls also held Orlando to 39.1 percent shooting overall and 12.5 percent from 3-point range.
On the other side, the Hawks have dropped two of their first three games, including a 117-100 loss to the OKC Thunder on Saturday night.
Despite missing three starters, the Hawks trailed by just five points at the break. However, OKC broke the game open in the third, courtesy of a 39-25 scoring edge, en route to an easy double-digit victory.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker paced the offense with 17 points on 6-for-10 shooting overall and a 3-for-6 effort from long range. Trae Young finished with 15 points, 10 assists, and four rebounds, while Onyeka Okongwu and Mouhamed Gueye contributed 11 points apiece.
| PLAYER | STATUS |
|---|---|
| Zach Collins | INJURED |
| Coby White | INJURED |
| Kristaps Porzingis | INJURED |
| Jalen Johnson | INJURED |
| Zaccharie Risacher | INJURED |
Here's a look at what you need to know for both teams ahead of this contest.
Both teams enter this tilt short-handed. But while Atlanta has struggled at both ends of the court, Chicago is a top-three team in both scoring defense (allowing 104.5 PPG) and defensive rating (100.4 points allowed per 100 possessions). Taking that into consideration, the edge goes to the home team in this matchup.
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Pick
Chicago Bulls
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