Bulls Face Raptors in Crucial Playoff Push Matchup

CHICAGO, Ill. — The Chicago Bulls will host the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night in a critical Eastern Conference showdown, where a win would clinch a spot for the Bulls in the NBA Play-in Tournament. The game is set to tip off at 8 p.m. ET at the United Center.

The Bulls currently hold a 33-42 record and are positioned 10th in the Eastern Conference, five games ahead of the Raptors, who are battling for playoff contention with just seven games remaining in the season. Chicago has already secured the season series against Toronto, and a victory on Tuesday would extend their lead significantly, granting them the tiebreaker advantage.

According to the latest consensus from SportsLine, the Bulls are 5-point favorites, with the over/under for total points pegged at 236. They previously defeated the Raptors 125-115 as 1.5-point favorites on February 28.

The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every NBA game 10,000 times, has proven successful in recent seasons, providing over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks. The model boasts a 155-115 record on all top-rated selections dating back to last year, yielding nearly $4,000 in returns. This season, it remains strong with a 21-10 (68%) success rate on top-rated spread picks.

Despite making a major trade at the deadline focused on the future, the Bulls have maintained their play-off aspirations. Young stars have stepped up, averaging a combined 46.5 points per game since the NBA All-Star break. Rookie player has been particularly impressive, averaging 19.0 points over the last five games.

Following a tough 145-117 defeat against the on Monday night, the Bulls opted to utilize their bench extensively, allowing their key players to rest in anticipation of the match against Toronto. This strategy resulted in 66 points from the bench in their last game, highlighting Chicago’s depth.

On the other hand, the Raptors are also in a precarious situation. Despite needing a win to keep their slim chances of playoff qualification alive, Toronto will bench its leading scorer and starting shooting guard, signaling a shift toward prioritizing the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery.

Coming off four consecutive wins, the Raptors recently triumphed over the 127-109, showcasing their shooting prowess with a 17-of-38 performance from the 3-point range and forcing 18 turnovers. In contrast, the Bulls struggled with turnovers, committing 20 against the Thunder.

The SportsLine model has projected a likely under scenario for the game, estimating 222 combined points. Furthermore, the model indicates that one side of the spread has an over 50% chance to cover.

“Our analysis shows the Bulls with a 67% chance to win compared to a 33% probability for the Raptors,” noted Damien Souness from Dimers, referencing the 10,000 simulations conducted for this matchup. With projected final scores of Bulls 120, Raptors 115, the data suggests confidence in Chicago’s overall advantage.

As both teams prepare for this vital matchup, fans and analysts are eager to witness how the game unfolds and impacts the playoff race in the Eastern Conference.