Well, it's safe to say the Brooklyn Nets have successfully hijacked the NBA trade deadline season with two significant moves. First, Kyrie Irving was sent to the Dallas Mavericks, and in the early hours of Thursday morning, franchise cornerstone Kevin Durant was traded to the Phoenix Suns in a massive deal that changed both teams' trajectories.
The Nets have a contest against the Chicago Bulls tonight, but most conversations will revolve around this massive deal and how the Nets' outlook shapes up moving forward. For tonight, I'd expect Brooklyn to continue leaning on Cam Thomas, who should have a green light for the remainder of the season.
Find out your best options with our free NBA betting picks and predictions for the Nets vs. Bulls on Thursday, February 9.
Bulls vs Nets best odds
Bulls vs Nets picks and predictions
The Cam Thomas Express is in full motion and shows no signs of stopping! Thomas's accomplishments over his last three games put him in the rare historical territory. He's the youngest player in NBA history to score 40 points in three straight games, in a surge so unforeseen that sportsbooks are struggling to assess the situation.
The 21-year-old guard has been unstoppable, and he's done it against good defenses. The Clippers are in a four-way tie for seventh-best in defensive rating (112.2), and the Suns, over their last 10 games, rank second-best (107.6) in that category. You would think the veteran presence on those teams would be enough to slow him down, but they showed no ability even remotely to throw him off his game. He can score from all three levels and plays with the confidence of a proven veteran.
Now, the big question is how he meshes with the Brooklyn Nets' newest floor general: Spencer Dinwiddie, averaging 17.7 points per game so far alongside Luka Doncic in Dallas’ totalitarian offense.
Dinwiddie is a team-first player who never looks to chase stats and load up the box score with misleading numbers. His ability to not force anything is why I love his points Under tonight, considering the circumstances. Tonight is the first game Dinwiddie will be playing in his second stint with Brooklyn, adjusting to a new environment and team. I can't see him taking a ton of shots; instead, I see him feeding Thomas and the rest of the lineup as much as possible.
With Thomas on this massive scoring streak, the game plan will be to ride his hot hand as much as possible. He's shown no signs of slowing down, and Dinwiddie, who is just arriving with Brooklyn, won't get in the way of feeding the hot hand.
My best bet: Spencer Dinwiddie Under 20.5 points (-110)
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Bulls vs Nets spread analysis
The Nets entered tonight's action as -1 favorites in most sportsbooks against the Chicago Bulls. Even without Kevin Durant, this shouldn't be surprising, as the Nets have played some very competitive basketball since the Irving trade, even in defeat. They've managed a 3-0 ATS record in the three games since Irving's last day with the team on Feb. 1.
Thomas has plenty to do with the current spread in favor of Brooklyn. He's been sensational, and while Chicago will throw everything they have at him, he appears to be matchup-proof until further notice. Without a true rim protector on the defensive end for Chicago, the possibilities are endless for what Thomas can do tonight.
The Bulls are entering tonight's game with a 28-24-2 ATS record. Despite their disappointing season thus far, they've managed to hover over 500 in the ATS department. The magic number tonight is 113.8; Brooklyn has a 17-10 record against the spread and a 19-8 record straight up when scoring more than 113.8 points.
Bulls vs Nets Over/Under analysis
The Over/Under for tonight is available across most sportsbooks at 228. That number feels high, especially with a zero-impact player like Ben Simmons in the lineup.
The Under is 4-0 in Chicago's last four games after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game. They respond well on defense, making it confounding that the Bulls haven't figured it out this season. With DeMar DeRozan questionable tonight and Dinwiddie making his debut, I won't be surprised to see a low-scoring game.
Dinwiddie is currently averaging an impressive 23.7 points per game over his last 10, but it's hard to imagine him making a big impact in his first game with the Nets. Thomas will have another strong night, but I don't trust anyone around him to score a lot.
Bulls vs Nets betting trend to know
Under is 6-1 in Bulls’ last seven road games. Find more NBA betting trends for Bulls vs. Nets.
Bulls vs Nets game info
| Location: | Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY |
| Date: | Thursday, February 9, 2023 |
| Tip-off: | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| TV: | TNT |
