Coming off a bad home loss to the Orlando Magic, the Indiana Pacers will now look to turn it around and pick up a win over the Chicago Bulls, who are currently in first place in the Eastern Conference standings.
Will Indiana pull off the big upset at home? Keep reading our Bulls vs. Pacers NBA picks and predictions for Friday, February 4 to find out.
Bulls vs Pacers odds
This odds widget represents the best odds available for each betting market from regulated sportsbooks.
The Bulls were laying 2.5 points when this game first hit betting markets and they are now 3-point favorites in some places. Chicago is also taking a hefty majority of the bets here. Meanwhile, the total opened at 231 and has since gone up to 231.5, despite most people backing the Under.
Use the live odds widget above to track any future line movements right until tip-off and be sure to check out the full NBA odds before betting to ensure you get the best number.
Bulls vs Pacers predictions
Predictions made on 2/4/2022 at 11:10 a.m. ET.
Click on each prediction to jump to the full analysis.
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Bulls vs Pacers game info
• Location: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
• Date: Friday, February 4, 2022
• Tip-off: 7:00 p.m. ET
• TV: BSIN, NBCSCH
Bulls vs Pacers betting preview
Injuries
Bulls: Zach LaVine G (Questionable), Derrick Jones Jr. (Out), Alex Caruso G (Out), Lonzo Ball G (Out), Patrick Williams F (Out).
Pacers: Domantas Sabonis C (Out), Myles Turner C (Out), Malcolm Brogdon G (Out), T.J. McConnell G (Out), T.J. Warren F (Out), Isaiah Jackson C (Out), Goga Bitadze C (Questionable), Oshae Brissett F (Questionable).
Find our latest NBA injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Pacers are 11-4 against the spread in their last 15 games as home underdogs. Find more NBA betting trends for Bulls vs. Pacers.
Bulls vs Pacers picks and predictions
Our predictions are compiled from the analysis of the spread and total and are indications of where we are leaning for this game.
Our best bet is the play that we like the most for this game, which we would actually put some of our bankroll behind.
Spread analysis
The last time these two teams played, the Pacers had the game pretty much won before DeMar DeRozan heaved up a three at the buzzer that hit nothing but the bottom of the net. Chicago ended up winning, 108-106, as a 3-point road favorite. However, the Pacers played them tough and proved they’re capable of going out there and stealing a win from the top team in the Eastern Conference.
Indiana is once again going for a home upset over Chicago, but the team will have to do it without a few of its best players. Fortunately for the Pacers, the Bulls are also going to be without some key pieces. Caris LeVert is the player to keep an eye on for Indiana, as he is now their primary scoring option. The 27-year-old had 26 points, five rebounds and five assists against the Magic last game, and he should be in for a big performance here.
Chicago is missing both Ball and Caruso, who are the two best perimeter defenders on the team. Rookie Ayo Dosunmu is also a good option out there, but LeVert is a little too big for him. That duo being out is crucial for guys like LeVert, Lance Stephenson and Duane Washington Jr. Chicago is just 21st in the league in defensive rating over the last 10 games, which is a sharp contrast from when this was a Top-10 defense in the early portion of the season.
The Pacers could also get some more unlikely production out of rookie Terry Taylor. The lefty has come from nowhere to give Indiana a little something around the basket with all of its big men out. Taylor is too small to be playing center full time, but he has a relentless motor and had 24 points and 16 rebounds last game. That one followed up a 15-point, eight-round game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday.
Prediction: Pacers +3 (-110)
Over/Under analysis
The Under has hit in each of the last four meetings between these two teams, and they combined to score only 214 when they met on December 31. This game should, however, be higher-scoring with the Pacers essentially being forced to play small because of injuries. Indiana is running out lineups with multiple guards and wings with Sabonis and Turner out, which means the team usually needs to play at a faster pace in order to be effective against teams that are playing with size.
The Pacers are averaging 120.0 points per game of their last two contests, and they’ve gone Over the total in six straight games. Meanwhile, the Bulls have gone Over the total in each of their last four and are averaging 124.5 points per game in that span. It’s just hard to imagine these two not scoring a ton tonight.
Prediction: Over 231.5 (-110)
Best bet
Over the last three seasons, the Pacers are 6-4 straight-up and 7-3 against the spread when facing the Bulls. The Pacers are also 11-4 against the spread in their last 15 games as home underdogs, and they’re also an impressive 5-2 against the spread in their last seven games against teams with winning percentages higher than 60.0%.
Indiana might not have the most inspiring group of players on the floor in this one, but that isn’t a reason to completely stay away from this team. The Bulls are 0-3-1 against the spread in their last four games on the road and they just don’t have the same juice they had earlier in the year. We might not see that again until everybody in their rotation is healthy.
Pick: Pacers +3 (-110)
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