The new-look Brooklyn Nets head to the United Center to take on the Chicago Bulls on Friday night.
The Nets are creating a new identity following their failed Big Three experiment and will aim to stay in the playoff race. Meanwhile, the Bulls are on the outside looking in and need to turn things around after losing six games in a row heading into the All-Star break.
NBA betting lines opened with the Bulls as 2.5-point home faves for tonight with the Over/Under at 222.5. Here are my best free Nets vs. Bulls NBA picks and predictions for February 24.
Nets vs Bulls best odds
Nets vs Bulls picks and predictions
The Nets finally blew things up at the trade deadline and flipped Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving for four new starters.
While Brooklyn will clearly miss those two on the offensive end of the floor, it'll be better on defense with Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, and Dorian Finney-Smith slotting into the lineup alongside Nic Claxton.
With the length of those players on the perimeter and Claxton's ability to protect the rim, the Nets defended well in three games with their revamped lineup. Although they allowed the Knicks to score 124 points, they also held Philadelphia to 101 points and the Heat to 105.
This is a team that has played at a slower tempo and has emphasized defense under head coach Jacque Vaughn. The Nets are ninth in the league in defensive rating (112.6) since Vaughn took over for Steve Nash in November, and they've been even better on that end of the floor without Irving.
The Bulls are just 24th in the league in offensive rating this season and they struggled to score heading into the break. They averaged just 97.8 points per game on 43% shooting in their last six contests which includes a Feb. 9 clash with Brooklyn where they were limited to 105 points.
My best bet: Bulls team total Under 112.5 (-115 at bet365)
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Nets vs Bulls spread analysis
The Nets are in fifth place in the Eastern Conference with a 34-24 record and will need some big offensive performances from their new faces if they want to stay there.
Oddsmakers certainly don't seem convinced in the new Nets, with Brooklyn's championship odds plummeting from +800 at the end of January to +12,500 after trading away Durant and Irving.
That said, while the Nets will miss Irving and Durant's elite offensive production, they have seen players step up. Sophomore Cam Thomas erupted for more than 40 points in three-straight games after saying goodbye to Irving and while Thomas won't start anymore, he'll provide a scoring punch off the bench.
In their last game, the Nets beat the Heat 116-105 with Thomas chipping in with 19 points and Bridges leading the way with 45 points on 17-24 shooting.
The Nets will doubtless play a more team-oriented game moving forward and their defense and well-rounded bench will be the strengths of this squad.
If the regular season were to end today, the Bulls wouldn't even qualify for the play-in tournament with a 26-33 record.
They are 0-6 SU and ATS in their last six games and while they were missing leading scorer DeMar DeRozan for their last two contests, they haven't looked great even with him in the lineup.
The Bulls haven't really stood out in any area this season. While they are shooting the ball pretty well from inside the arc they rank last in the league with 10.3 three-pointers made per game while also struggling on the offensive glass and seldom getting to the line.
Nets vs Bulls Over/Under analysis
The Bulls have a trio of talented scorers in DeRozan (25.4 ppg), Zach LaVine (24 ppg), and Nikola Vucevic (17.9 pp) but they don't have much playmaking ability or scoring depth behind them. Since the new year, Chicago is just 25th in the NBA in offensive rating (111.4).
However, the Bulls have been playing better on the other end of the floor and are third in the league in defensive rating (110.5) over that same period. With that stagnant offense and improving defense, the Under has gone 6-1 in Chicago's last seven games.
The Nets should also start seeing some more lower-scoring contests moving forward. Keep in mind that the Nets are fifth in the league in scoring defense since November (111.2 ppg) and will likely be even better with their new lineup.
Guys like Thomas, Seth Curry, and Joe Harris are shot-makers off the bench but reducing their minutes should mean better defensive play. Meanwhile, someone like Finney-Smith is a plus defender without providing much offense.
Nets vs Bulls betting trend to know
The Under is 7-1 in Chicago's last eight games versus a team with a winning straight-up record. Find more NBA betting trends for Nets vs. Bulls.
Nets vs Bulls game info
| Location: | United Center, Chicago, IL |
| Date: | Friday, February 24, 2023 |
| Tip-off: | 8:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | YES, NBC Sports Chicago |
