The Chicago Bulls head to Toronto to face the Raptors on Thursday night at 7:30 PM ET on TNT. Can the Bulls cover the 2.5-point spread as road favorites? Keep reading for our Bulls vs. Raptors betting prediction.
The Chicago Bulls are 19-23 straight up in the regular season this year. They are 20-21-1 ATS this season.
The Toronto Raptors are 16-25 straight up in the regular season this year. They are 20-20-1 ATS this season.
Bulls vs. Raptors Matchup & Betting Odds
521 Chicago Bulls (-2.5) at 522 Toronto Raptors (+2.5); o/u 224.5
7:30 p.m. ET, Thursday, January 18, 2024
Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON
TV: TNT
Bulls vs. Raptors Public Betting Information
Our NBA Public Betting Information page indicates that 59% of public bettors are currently backing the Raptors when it comes to the spread. This information is subject to change throughout the day, however, so be sure to check the link so you’re receiving the most up-to-date public betting data.
Chicago Bulls Daily Fantasy Spin
Bulls small forward Torrey Craig will miss Thursday’s road tilt with the Raptors. He’s nursing an acute sprain of his right plantar fascia. Craig is averaging 6.1 points and 4.8 rebounds per game in 21.2 minutes per contest this season.
Chicago shooting guard Ayo Dosunmu (shoulder) and power forward Patrick Williams (ankle) are both listed as questionable for Thursday night’s game. Of the two, Williams would be the bigger loss as he’s averaging 9.8 points per game in 27 starts for the Bulls this season.
Bulls forward Dalen Terry (knee) and center Andre Drummond (back spasms) are both listed as probable for their club’s game against the Raptors on Thursday. Drummond is second on the team in rebounding with 8.5 boards per game.
Toronto Raptors Daily Fantasy Spin
Raptors center Jakob Poeltl and small forward Otto Porter Jr. will both be out Thursday. Poeltl is the bigger loss of the two as he is averaging 10.6 points and 8.3 rebounds per game in 36 starts for Toronto this season.
Toronto will also be without Pascal Siakam, who was their leading scorer with 22.2 points per game this year. The Raptors traded Siakam to the Indiana Pacers for a package that includes Pacers small forwards Bruce Brown and Jordan Nwora, and Pelicans point guard Kira Lewis Jr. It’s unknown if Brown, Nwora, and Lewis will be available for the Raptors on Thursday, as the trio may need some time to make their way to the Great White North.
Bulls vs. Raptors NBA Betting Trends
Chicago is 8-9 ATS as a favorite this season.
Chicago is 8-11 ATS as the road team this season.
Toronto is 28-26-2 ATS as an underdog since the start of last season.
Toronto is 5-3 ATS in their last 8 games against Chicago.
Bulls vs. Raptors NBA Prediction:
Thursday will be the third and final game of a three-game road trip for the Bulls. Chicago won the first game of the road trip on Saturday in San Antonio 122-116. Next, the Bulls got clobbered by a shorthanded Cavaliers team in Cleveland 109-91 on Monday. The Bulls have shooting guard Zach Lavine back after he missed the entire month of December, but his scoring is often offset by his subpar defense.
Toronto is playing at home on the second night of a back-to-back in this contest after defeating Miami 121-97 at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday night. The Raptors won’t have Pascal Siakam available as he was recently traded, and the players they received in that swap (Bruce Brown, Jordan Nwora, and Kira Lewis Jr.) might not make it to Toronto in time to suit up on Thursday. Despite that, I like the Raptors in this contest. Toronto is 8-7 ATS as a home underdog since the start of last season and 12-10-1 ATS with the rest disadvantage in that same span. For those reasons, I’m on the Raptors and the points at home on Thursday night.
