On Saturday, 03/15, the Houston Rockets (42-25) will host the Chicago Bulls (28-38) in an inter-conference Regular-Season match-up. The Rockets are stationed at the fifth spot in the West, while the Bulls are cementing their 10th rank in the East. Will the streaking Bulls take advantage of the Rockets, who will be playing a back-to-back? Read about the preview, total predictions, and player props here.
Rockets: Recovering from a slump
The Rockets will come into this match-up after playing against the Dallas Mavericks the previous night. Before that, they beat the Suns by 7 points as Jalen Green exploded for 29 points. It was their fourth straight win, a much-needed relief after a disappointing 5-11 period. The Rockets took advantage of a relatively easy schedule, as their play on the offensive end has continued to be shaky. Luckily, most of their upcoming ten games are against weak opponents, which can help them get closer to the ever-so-tight race for the second seed. The return of Fred Van Vleet has bolstered their prospects, and they will need more from Green and Alperen Sengun to sustain their current rhythm.
Expected Starting Lineup
PG: Fred Van Vleet | SG: Jalen Green | SF: Dillon Brooks | PF: Tari Eason | C: Alperen Sengun
Key Injuries/Updates: Amen Thompson can be OUT till next week. Reed Sheppared can be OUT till the end of March.
Bulls: Still fighting
The Chicago Bulls will come into this game after an impressive 6-point win against the Brooklyn Nets, as Coby White helped with a spectacular 31-point outing. It was their fourth straight win, the first time they have unleashed such a winning streak this season. The backcourt duo of Josh Giddey and White has helped them aim for as high as seventh spot, however, they will need to do a lot of heavy lifting to get there. The Bulls’ high-octane offense has received support from an improved defense, and they can pose problems even for some elite squads now.
Expected Starting Lineup
PG: Tre Jones | SG: Coby White | SG/SF: Kevin Huerter | SF/PF: Matas Buzelis | C: Nikola Vucevic
Key Injuries/Updates: Josh Giddey and Lonzo Ball are OUT for the game. Ayo Dosunmu is OUT for the season.
The Rockets will be on a back-to-back here, while the Bulls will enter here after a one-day break. The Bulls have usually scored in the 120+ points range these days, but the Rockets’ defense will likely not allow them to touch that mark. As for the Rockets, they have struggled to hit the 110-point mark for a long time, and the Bulls’ defense will be locked in against a team that had played on the previous night. Overall, this can be a low-scorer than most Bulls games and can be in the 215-223 range.
Projected Predictions:
Jalen Green to be held under 21.5 points: The Rockets’ guard has scored under 20 points in five of the last six games. I believe he will be held in the 15-19 points range here.
Alperen Sengun to score over 21.5 points: The Rockets center has put up 21.8 PPG in March. I expect the Rockets center to be in the 22+ points range here.
Coby White to score over 24.5 points: The Bulls guard has been scoring 29 PPG in March. I expect him to score in the 25-29 points range here.
Tre Jones to dish over 5.5 assists: Jones has been on a tear in March, compiling 6 APG this month. I fancy him to be in the 6-8 range here too.
The Bulls will like their chances of winning against a somewhat vulnerable Rockets team in a back-to-back situation. However, this is the beginning of a grueling road trip, which can have its own mental impact. On the other hand, the Rockets will be on cloud nine after dusting off the Dallas Mavericks by almost 40 points, also providing a much-needed late-game rest for their starters. I expect the Rockets to come up with a superb effort here despite exhaustion and bury the Bulls by 8+ points in what can be a dogfight initially.
Safe Spread Pick: Rockets -9.5 for +100 at BetMGM
Photo Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
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