Two teams who could very well meet each other in the play-in rounds in the postseason will face off on Wednesday night as the Atlanta Hawks visit the Chicago Bulls at United Center.
These teams play fast and aren’t great on defense, which is why I’ll be taking the Over in my Hawks vs. Bulls predictions.
Hawks vs Bulls prediction
My best bet
Over 243 (-110 at bet365)
My analysis
If you watch the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks on a possession-by-possession basis, you might not expect them to produce particularly high-scoring games. Both teams are middling in terms of scoring efficiency, coming in around league average in offensive rating. It’s not as though they don’t have scoring talent — Trae Young (23.1 ppg) and Zach LaVine (24.0 ppg) can pour in points — but they aren’t loaded with great shooters or dominant post players.
So why are these two teams playing to some of the highest totals in the NBA this season? There are two main reasons we can point to.
First, both Atlanta and Chicago love to play fast, with only the Grizzlies coming in ahead of them in pace metrics. When you’re running up and down the court and generating extra possessions, it doesn’t take efficiency to fill up the stats sheet. We’ve seen that in the first three meetings between these teams this season, with their most recent game — a 141-133 win for the Hawks in Atlanta on December 26 — producing a whopping 274 total points.
It also helps that neither of these teams can play much defense. Outside of the awful Wizards, Chicago (allowing 120.8 ppg) and Atlanta (allowing 119.8 ppg) give up more points than anyone in the Eastern Conference. Even accounting for pace, both sides rank in the Bottom 10 in the league in defensive rating, and each allows opponents to shoot over 47% from the field.
These issues are only exasperated when two teams who play this style face off against each other. In their first three games, the Bulls and Hawks have combined to average 256.7 ppg, a number more than 13 points above tonight’s total. These teams have easily hit the Over in each of their last two contests, and even the relatively lower-scoring first matchup back in November ended with 238 total points scored.
If that’s the low end of what these teams can produce, then there’s really no justification for a total that’s “only” set at 243. NBA odds may be reluctant to go much higher, but with these teams, the sky’s the limit, and a number around 250 would be more appropriate. With a total far short of that, I’m taking the Over.
Hawks vs Bulls same-game parlay
Over 242.5
Bulls moneyline
Zach LaVine Over 28.5 points
Along with expecting this to be a high-scoring affair, I also like the Bulls to squeak out a win at home. Chicago has won two of the first three games against Atlanta this year, and it comes into the game with a healthier lineup, as Jalen Johnson and De’Andre Hunter remain day-to-day for the Hawks with injuries.
Leading the charge for the Bulls should be Zach LaVine, who is averaging 24.0 ppg this season, but that doesn’t capture how much he’s been scoring lately, as the 29-year-old has been on fire in 2025. In seven games, he’s scored 31+ points six times and is averaging 32.1 ppg in that stretch. In what should be a shootout, LaVine is a great pick to keep lighting it up.
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Hawks vs Bulls odds
Hawks vs Bulls live odds
Hawks vs Bulls opening odds
- Spread: Atlanta +2 | Chicago -2
- Moneyline: Atlanta +115 | Chicago -135
- Over/Under: Over 245.5 | Under 245.5
Odds courtesy of bet365.
Hawks vs Bulls spread and Over/Under analysis
- The Bulls are 20-19-1 against the spread this season, while the Hawks are coming into tonight’s game with a 16-23 ATS record.
- Chicago has the 2-1 edge both straight up and ATS against Atlanta this season.
- The Over has a 25-12-2 record when the Hawks have played this year, with the Under holding a slight 21-19 advantage when in Bulls games.
- Atlanta is playing to an average total of 237.2 ppg, and Chicago is even higher scoring, averaging a total of 238.9 ppg.
Hawks vs Bulls trend
The Over is 3-1 in the last four meetings between the Hawks and Bulls. Find more NBA betting trends for Hawks vs. Bulls.
How to watch Hawks vs Bulls
| Location: | United Center, Chicago, Illinois |
| Date: | Wednesday, 1-15-2025 |
| Tip-off: | 8:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | FDSN SE, CHSN |
Hawks vs Bulls latest injuries
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