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The Chicago Bulls host the LA Clippers on Thursday. The Clippers won 112-102 when they faced the Bulls on Saturday. James Harden's triple-double helped LA come back from a 14-point deficit to win the contest.
Meanwhile, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George's combined 21-point second halves proved critical. The Clippers will hope to get a better start in Thursday's encounter. Chicago let the opportunity slip by once, but it's unlikely it will let that happen with homecourt advantage.
LA Clippers vs. Chicago Bulls preview, betting tips, odds and prediction
Local TV operators Bally Sports SoCal and NBC Sports Chicago will cover the Clippers vs. Bulls game. NBA League pass will provide an online stream for this contest outside the local regions. Tipoff is at 8:00 PM ET at United Center.
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Moneyline: Clippers -270, Bulls +220
Spread: Clippers -6.5 (-110), Bulls +6.5 (-110)
Total (o/u): Clippers u215.5 (-108), Bulls u215.5 (-110)
Editor's note: The odds could change close to the game. The odds listed were as per available information at the time of writing.
LA Clippers vs. Chicago Bulls: Preview
The Clippers' performance has been night and day before and after the All-Star break. They are 5-6 since then with a 114.4 offensive and 116.6 defensive efficiency. LA is dealing with injuries to key players like Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Kawhi Leonard.
Westbrook is out, while Leonard and Harden are questionable. The Clippers have generally struggled to close games. They've blown double-digit leads in the fourth quarter in three of their six losses since the All-Star break, twice with Leonard in the lineup.
The Clippers have conceded 17.4 points off turnovers in their past 11 games, the seventh-worst mark in the league.
On the other hand, the Bulls are 6-5 in the same span. Their offense has improved steadily, but defense remains a concern. Chicago is 26th on defense with a 117.2 efficiency since the All-Star break. The Bulls are excellent at forcing turnovers, though.
That could help them against the Clippers on Thursday. Their opponents averaged 14.0 turnovers, 11th best mark in the NBA. The Bulls must capitalize on it to get the advantage against LA. It helped them build an 11-point advantage in the first on Saturday.
The Bulls could be without one of their best offensive players, Coby White, though. The other absentees will be Zach LaVine, Lonzo Ball, and Patrick Williams, staples on Chicago's injury list.
LA Clippers vs. Chicago Bulls: Starting Lineups, Subs and Rotations
LA Clippers
The Clippers starting lineups could be as follows:
PG - Bones Hyland, SG - Terance Mann, SF - Paul George, PF - Kawhi Leonard, C - Ivica Zubac
Norman Powell, Bones Hyland, Amir Coffey and Daniel Theis could play heavily off the bench. Powell and Hyland will cover for Harden and Mann in the backcourt, while Theis and Coffey will be in rotation with the frontline. Mason Plumlee and PJ Tucker could see increased minutes should Kawhi sit the game out.
Chicago Bulls
The Bulls starting lineup could be as follows:
PG - Ayo Dosunmu, SG - Alex Caruso, SF - Torrey Craig, PF - DeMar DeRozan, C - Nikola Vucevic
The Bulls could be without Coby White, who exited Wednesday's contest against the Pacers with an injury. Torrey Craig could be his replacement. Jevon Carter could return to the rotation if White is out.
The Bulls lack depth with several injury absentees, so they heavily rely on their available starters. The sixth man in this game could be Andre Drummond, with Julian Phillips and Onuralp Bitim likely seeing an increase in minutes too.
LA Clippers vs. Chicago Bulls: Betting Tips
Kawhi Leonard is favored to score under 24.5 points. He's averaging 23.7 per game on the season and 22.0 points in his last nine games. However, Leonard exited the last game with an injury after scoring only six points, reducing his averages.
DeMar DeRozan is favored to score under 25.5 points. He had 46 in an overtime game on Wednesday while averaging 23.4 ppg on the season.
LA Clippers vs. Chicago Bulls Prediction
The oddsmakers have favored the LA Clippers to win this game with a -270 to +220 money line. LA was able to churn out a win, despite trailing by double digits in the team's last encounter. The Chicago Bulls' injury woes could haunt them again against a star-studded lineup.
It could be a close contest, and the Bulls may even be in charge. However, the Clippers will likely swing the momentum in the second half, especially with fresher legs. Chicago is coming off an overtime win over the Pacers, playing on the second night of a back-to-back.
The Clippers are predicted to hold off the Bulls from covering their spread by 4.5 points.
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