CHICAGO BULLS VS. LOS ANGELES LAKERS – ODDS & PREDICTIONS FOR JANUARY 25, 2024

Greetings, basketball fans. Welcome back to our NBA coverage here at Latest Basketball News. One of the games on tap from Thursday’s slate features the Chicago Bulls (21-24 SU, 23-21-1 ATS) taking on the Los Angeles Lakers (23-23 SU, 20-26 ATS).

Here is a look at which team has the edge going into this matchup and why. 

Tipoff

• When: Thursday, January 25, 2024
  
• Time: 10:30 PM ET
  
• Where: Crypto.com Arena
  
• Location: Los Angeles, California
  
• TV: SportsNet LA, NBCS-CHI+

Chicago Bulls vs. Los Angeles Lakers Odds (Via DraftKings)

Chicago Bulls vs. Los Angeles Lakers – Regular Season Stats & Betting Trends

Can The Bulls Bounce Back Following Disappointing Loss To The Suns?

Chicago Bulls Season Stats:

• Scoring Offense: 110.6 PPG – 26TH       
• Offensive Efficiency: 113.6 points per 100 possessions – 21ST        
• Scoring Defense: 112.1 PPG – 9TH       
• Defensive Efficiency: 115.1 points per 100 possessions – 15TH   

The Bulls are in the No. 9 spot in the Eastern Conference. They have produced six wins across their last 10 outings. 

This includes a heart-breaking 115-113 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Monday night. Coby White led the Bulls with a spectacular performance that included 26 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists. He also recorded two steals as well. 

DeMar DeRozan scored 21 points to go along with five rebounds. Nikola Vucevic contributed 19 points, 17 boards, and seven dimes. 

Chicago knows it let one slip through its fingers as they led by 23 points in the first half. And while Kevin Durant is one of most prolific scorers the game has ever seen, it should have never come down to the final possession in which Durant hit the game-winning jumper with 1.6 seconds to play. 

“There’s been some games this year — quite honestly — that we’ve lost that we have no right to be upset about,” Bulls coach Billy Donovan said after the game. “This is a game that you can be upset because you poured your heart and soul into it and came up short.”

The Bulls will need to regroup and prepare to play a full 48 minutes against a somewhat desperate Lakers squad that has dropped 13 of its last 20 contests.

Can The Struggling Lakers Get Back On Track Against The Bulls?

Los Angeles Lakers Season Stats:

• Scoring Offense: 114.8 PPG – 17TH   
• Offensive Efficiency: 113.5 points per 100 possessions – 22ND        
• Scoring Defense: 115.8 PPG – 17TH       
• Defensive Efficiency: 114.5 points per 100 possessions – 13TH    

Like the Bulls, the Lakers occupy the No. 9 spot out west. They have split their last 10 games, including a 127-116 to the LA Clippers on Tuesday night.

D’Angelo Russell spearheaded Los Angeles’s scoring attack with 27 points, 10 assists, and five rebounds. Anthony Davis posted a double-double that included 26 points and 12 rebounds. 

Despite the outcome, Lakers’ coach Darvin Ham felt his team put forth a solid effort. 

“I think the lesson is how we competed, how we competed together,” Ham told CBS Sports. “Again, guys taking accountability for mistakes and not making them twice.

This marked the first time in which the Clippers defeated the Lakers in three tries this season. LeBron James was absent from the rotation due to an ankle injury. His status is day-to-day going forward. 

Now that we have set the table for this matchup, let’s look at the all-important betting trends for both sides.

The Picks

The Spread

The Lakers opened at a five-point favorite. At the time of this writing, the line has climbed to 4.5 points for the home team. 

Here is a look at how both teams have fared against the spread this season. 

• The Bulls are 6-3 ATS in their last nine games overall.
• Chicago is 5-2 ATS in its last seven matchups against Western Conference opponents.
• The Bulls are 4-1 ATS in the last five times in which they have played on a Wednesday. 
• The Lakers are 4-8 ATS in their last 12 outings. 
• Los Angeles is 1-6 ATS in their last seven matchups against Eastern Conference teams.
• The last 11 times the Lakers have played at home on a Thursday, they are just 3-8 against the spread. 

Based on these trends, going with the road team to cover the spread is the best option. This especially holds if LeBron James is unable to suit up. 

Prediction: Chicago Bulls (+4.5)

Over/Under

The projected over/under total for this matchup opened at 225 points. The line recently moved to 226.5 points (via pre-game.com). Here is why going with the “OVER” is the smart choice. 

• The total has gone OVER six times in the Bulls’ last eight road games against Los Angeles.
  
• The OVER total has hit 12 times in the Lakers’ last 18 games.
  
• In Los Angeles’s last five games against Chicago, the OVER total won ALL five times.
  
• The total has gone OVER five times in the Lakers’ last five matchups against Central Division opponents.

Prediction: OVER 226.5 points

Player Prop Bets

The player to watch for the road team is DeMar DeRozan. He currently has -125 odds of scoring more than 22.5 points and -105 odds of scoring less than 22.5 points. Let’s see how his numbers stack up against the projected points total for this matchup. 

• On the season, DeRozan is averaging 21.9 points per outing. 
• In 21 road games, he is averaging 20.6 PPG.
  DeRozan has played against Western Conference teams 16 times this season. In those contests, he is averaging 21.5 points per outing.
• DeRozan has played against teams in the Pacific Division four times this season. In those games, he has averaged 27.3 PPG.
• During the month of January, he is averaging 20.5 points per outing, exceeding the projected points total for this matchup just three times during that stretch. 

Given the above trends, going with the “under” for DeRozan is the best option.

Prediction: DeMar DeRozan UNDER 22.5 points

The key player to watch for the home team is Anthony Davis. He currently has -125 odds of scoring more than 26.5 points and -105 odds of finishing with less than 26.5 points (Via DraftKings). Here is a closer look at how his numbers compare to the projected points total for this matchup. 

• On the season, Davis is averaging 25 points per outing. 

• In 24 road games, he is averaging 25.1 PPG.
• Davis has played against Eastern Conference teams 13 times this season. In those contests, he is averaging 27.2 points per outing.
• He has played against Central Division teams three times this season. In those contests, he is averaging 26.3 PPG.
• In January – a sample size of 11 games — Davis is averaging 24.7 points per game, exceeding the points total for this matchup five times during that stretch.

Going with the “under” for Davis is the smart play based on the above trends.

Prediction: Anthony Davis UNDER 26.5 points

James’s Chicago Bulls vs. Los Angeles Lakers Picks

• The Spread: Chicago Bulls (+4.5)
• Over/Under: Over 226.5 points
• Player Prop Bet #1: DeMar DeRozan Under 22.5 points
• Player Prop Bet #2: Anthony Davis Under 26.5 points