NBA Betting – Phoenix Suns at Chicago Bulls

Phoenix Suns at Chicago Bulls (-8.5, 203.5 o/u)

Tonight, the Phoenix Suns will land in Chicago to meet the Bulls at the United Center (8:00 p.m. Eastern).

The Bulls are currently third in the Eastern Conference, but now have the surging Cavaliers hot on their heels in the Central Division.

The Suns, meanwhile, are in a dog-fight for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West with the Thunder and Pelicans.

Both teams will be playing their second game in two nights. Yesterday, the Bulls lost at Detroit 100-91, despite 30 points from Jimmy Butler on 50-percent shooting. Meanwhile, the new-look Suns (who traded guards Goran Dragic and Isaiah Thomas at the deadline and added Brandon Knight) lost at the lowly Timberwolves, 111-109.

Knight didn’t play in the game and isn’t expected to be in the lineup until Sunday, according to the AP.

The last time these teams squared off (January 30), the Suns downed Chicago in Phoenix, 99-93. Eric Bledsoe, one of the only guards to survive Phoenix’s trade deadline overhaul, had 23 points, six assists, four rebounds, and three steals in the win.

The Bulls gave credit where credit was due after the last game. “They are a hard team to defend, the way they play. We did a poor job of getting back in the first half. In the second half, we came back a little, but it was too late,” said point guard Derrick Rose after the loss.

Turning to the trends, Chicago is just 10-16 ATS at the United Center this year, while Phoenix is 13-2-2 ATS on the road.

Even though they’ll be shorthanded again tonight, look for the Suns to keep it within 8.5.

(Photo credit:  Keith Allison (flickr) “Joakim Noah” [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/legalcode]. Photo has been cropped.)