CHICAGO BULLS VS. CHARLOTTE HORNETS ODDS AND PREDICTIONS FOR JANUARY 31, 2024

Greetings, basketball fans. Welcome back to our NBA coverage here at Latest Basketball News. One of the games on tap from today’s slate features the Chicago Bulls (22-26 SU, 24-23-1 ATS) taking on the Charlotte Hornets (10-35 SU, 16-29 ATS).

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

Tipoff

• When: Wednesday, January 31, 2024
  
• Time: 7:00 PM ET
  
• Where: Spectrum Center
  
• Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
  
• TV: SSE and NBCS-CHI 

Chicago Bulls vs. Charlotte Hornets Odds (Via DraftKings)

Chicago Bulls vs. Charlotte Hornets – Regular Season Stats & Betting Trends

Can The Bulls Bounce Back Against The Lowly Hornets?

Chicago Bulls Season Stats:

• Scoring Offense: 110.9 PPG – 26TH        
• Offensive Efficiency: 113.6 points per 100 possessions – 23RD            
• Scoring Defense: 112.5 PPG – 9TH         
• Defensive Efficiency: 115.3 points per 100 possessions – 15TH    

The Chicago Bulls currently occupy the No. 9 spot in the conference playoff race, and they are 5-5 across their last 10 outings. This includes a 118-107 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Monday night. 

DeMar DeRozan certainly did his part as he scored a game-high 25 points along with five assists and four blocked shots.  Ayo Dosunmu added 21 points, five rebounds, and two assists, while Nikola Vucevic contributed 14 points and nine rebounds.

The Bulls were outscored 65-44 in the second and the short-handed Raptors forced the Bulls into committing 17 turnovers, which helped the home team erase a 16-point deficit. 

 “I think that’s what we rushed through. I think I had five turnovers. I had a couple of turnovers critical late. I think AC (Alex Caruso) had one when we tried to make a run to get back in the game,” DeRozan said after the game. “We got to be more conscious and take care of the ball a little bit better.”

Although Charlotte has won only 10 games this season, and just three wins this month, Chicago can ill afford another poor second-half effort as the team seeks to close out January on a positive note. 

Can The Hornets Get Their Fourth Victory Of The Month?

Charlotte Hornets Season Stats:

• Scoring Offense: 108.6 PPG – 28TH 
• Offensive Efficiency: 110.0 points per 100 possessions – 28TH           
• Scoring Defense: 120.3 PPG – 25TH       
• Defensive Efficiency: 121.9 points per 100 possessions – 30TH     

On the other side of this matchup, the Charlotte Hornets are in the No. 13 spot in the Eastern Conference. To say that Charlotte has struggled this season would be a mild understatement.  

They have produced just two wins across their last 10 decisions, and they come into this matchup amid a four-game losing streak. This includes three double-digit losses to the Houston Rockets (138-104), the Utah Jazz (134-122), and a 113-92 loss to the New York Knicks on Monday night. 

“I don’t think it’s one thing,” Hornets’ coach Steve Clifford said, via CBS Sports. “We don’t have a lot of depth right now. It’s hard to put 48 minutes together. We’re subbing differently every game. Those are not helpful things. You don’t get into a rhythm. You don’t get into a comfort level with who you’re playing with.”

Despite yet another disappointing loss, the Hornets got solid performances from multiple players. Rookie forward, Brandon Miller, led the team with 29 points, seven rebounds, and three assists. Miles Bridges chipped in with 21 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. 

The Hornets look to end their four-game home stand against a Bulls team that has struggled with consistency for most of the season. 

Now that we have set the table for this matchup, let us look at the betting trends for both sides.

The Picks

The Spread

The Bulls opened as a 2.5-point favorite. At the time of this writing, the line has climbed to 3.5 points for the road team (per pre-game.com). Here is a look at how both teams have fared against the spread this season. 

• The Bulls are 4-2 ATS in their last six games overall.
• Chicago is 5-0 ATS in their last five matchups against the Hornets. 
• The Hornets are 2-11 ATS in their last 13 games. 
• In their last six games against teams in the Central Division, the Hornets are 0-6 against the spread.

Given these trends, going with the Bulls to cover is the best option.

Prediction: Chicago Bulls (-3.5)

Over/Under

The projected over/under total for this matchup opened at 218 points. At the time of this writing, the line has not changed. Here is why going with the “under” is the smart choice. 

• The total has gone UNDER five times in the Bulls’ last seven games.
• The UNDER total has prevailed four times in Chicago’s last five road contests.
• In the Bulls’ last 12 games against Eastern Conference opponents, the UNDER total prevailed 11 times. 
• The total has gone UNDER six times in the Hornets’ last seven matchups against Chicago.
• The UNDER total cashed in five times in Charlotte’s last seven Wednesday night games.
• The UNDER total has hit five times in the last six times in which the Hornets played at home on Wednesday.  

Prediction: UNDER 218 points

Player Prop Bets

The key player to watch for the road team is DeMar DeRozan. He currently has -105 odds of scoring more than 24.5 points and -125 odds of finishing with more than 24.5 points.

Here is a glance to see how his numbers compare to the projected points total for this matchup. 

• On the season, DeRozan is averaging 22.2 points per outing. 
• In 23 road contests, he is averaging 21.1 PPG.
• DeRozan has played against Eastern Conference opponents 28 times this season. In those contests, he is averaging 22.3 points per outing.
• DeRozan has played eight times on a Wednesday this season. He is averaging 23.3 points per game. 
• During January, he is averaging 21.6 PPG, exceeding the points total for this matchup four times during that stretch.

Based on the above trends, going with the “under” for DeRozan is the smart choice here.

Prediction: DeMar DeRozan UNDER 24.5 points

The key player to watch for the home team is Brandon Miller. He currently has -110 odds of scoring more than 21.5 points and -120 odds of finishing with less than 21.5 points. Here is a glance at how his numbers stack up against the projected points total. 

• On the season, Miller is averaging 15.1 points per outing. 
• In 21 home contests, he is averaging 15.4 PPG.

• Miller has played against Eastern Conference opponents 25 times this season. In those contests, he is averaging 16.1 points per outing.
• The nine times in which Miller has played on a Wednesday this season, he is averaging 15.6 points per game. 
• During January – a sample size of 12 games — he is averaging 15.6 PPG, exceeding the points total for this matchup five times during that stretch.

Prediction: Brandon Miller UNDER 21.5 points

James’s Chicago Bulls vs. Charlotte Hornets Picks

• The Spread: Chicago Bulls (-3.5)
• Over/Under: UNDER 218 points
• Player Prop Bet #1: DeMar DeRozan UNDER 24.5 points
• Player Prop Bet #2: Brandon Miller UNDER 21.5 points