NBA Spreads: Chicago Bulls at Charlotte Bobcats
Written by Steve Janus - Google +
The Charlotte Bobcats will look to build on their season-best three game winning streak when they host the Chicago Bulls Wednesday night. Charlotte has made a huge turnaround since they fired Larry Brown on Dec. 22. The Bobcats are 5-2 under interim head coach Paul Silas, including a 96-82 win over the Grizzlies on Monday. Chicago outscored the Pistons 52-27 in the final two quarters to take home a 95-82 win, and will look to avoid losing their third straight on the road. Our NBA odds have the Bulls favored by 3.5-points over the Bobcats with the total sitting at 185.
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The Bulls are off to their best start since the 1997-98 season, but have struggled on the road this season. Chicago is just 8-9 away from the United Center, with their last two losses coming at New Jersey and at Philadelphia, two teams that are a combined 25-50 on the season.
Derrick Rose got the Bulls going in their latest win over the Pitons, scoring 29 points to go along with seven assists. Rose however is averaging just 24 points and five assists in his last two games on the road.
Carlos Boozer has also been a big factor in the Bulls success this season. Chicago is 16-6 since Boozer entered the lineup after missing the first 15 games with a wrist injury. Boozer is averaging nearly 27 points and 11 rebounds in his last three games, and will need to be on tonight for the Bulls to snap their road skid.
This will be a good test for both Chicago and the Bobcats. While the Bobcats are 5-2 in their last seven games, all five wins have came against teams with a losing record. In fact the last time Charlotte beat a team with a winning record was back on Dec. 7 when they beat the Nuggets 100-98.
D.J. Augustin has seemed to really benefit from the coaching change, as he has raised his scoring average from just under 13 points a game under Brown, to just under 20 a game under Silas. Augustin had 18 points and nine assists in the Bobcats latest win over Memphis, and it will be a good matchup to watch between him and Rose.
Charlotte has been without Gerald Wallace the past four games, but are expected to get the small forward back in the lineup tonight. Wallace is averaging 16.5 points and eight rebounds this season.
The guy you really have to watch out for is Stephen Jackson, who is averaging 23 points, 6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in the Bobcats last five games.
As good as the Bobcats have been playing lately, I think you have to take your chances on the Bulls in this one. Chicago is by far the more talented team, and I think they will come out with a lot of energy and really make it hard for the Bobcats offensively. Charlotte has lost each of their last four games against a winning team by at least 14 points.
For more help with who to take in the NBA this season, check out what our experts have to offer in their daily NBA picks.
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