The Chicago Bulls are off to a 16-21 start and are +16000 favorites to win the 2023 NBA Championship. If the playoffs were to begin today, the Bulls would miss them as they are seeded 11th in the Eastern Conference.
Demar DeRozan leads the team in scoring and assists–DeRozan is a +50000 longshot to win the NBA MVP Award. The Bulls guard has played in each of Chicago’s 37 games, and the Bulls will only go as far as the talented guard takes them.
Zach LaVine has played 33 of the 37 Bulls contests and is 23rd in scoring and Chicago’s 2nd leading scorer. LaVine has been rumored to be unhappy in Chicago and could seek a trade at the NBA Trade Deadline.
Nikola Vucevic is the only Chicago player averaging a double-double and is 10th in the league in rebounds per game. Vucevic is 2nd on the Bulls in three-point percentage and hasn’t missed a contest this season.
Chicago Bulls odds to reach the playoffs +265
Chicago Bulls’ odds to reach the playoffs at +265 (DraftKings) is a terrific price, and I would say yes to this.
Chicago is a game behind the Atlanta Hawks for the 10th seed in the east, and the Bulls should reach the playoffs, provided LaVine doesn’t get traded away.
The Bulls will play most of their remaining games against division foes or eastern conference rivals and have a winning record against both. Chicago has a -1.3 point differential and 0.03 points behind 10th seed Atlanta–they are close enough to the Hawks to challenge for a playoff spot, and they should win this bet.
Chicago Bulls win total odds Over 37.5 wins -105
Chicago Bulls win total odds of Over 37.5 wins at -105 (DraftKings) is a good futures bet.
Chicago opened at 41.5 wins and the Bulls’ slow start to the season has the total at a bettable 37.5. The Bulls have two solid players in LaVine and DeRozan–Vucevic makes an excellent third option, and if Chicago can remain healthy can eclipse 37.5 wins.
It won’t be easy, as the Bulls have one of the most challenging schedules in the league, but if Chicago plays .500 ball the rest of the way, they will cover the number.
Chicago Bulls odds to win the Central Division +21000
The Chicago Bulls’ odds to win the Central Division at +21000 (FanDuel) is not a good bet to make.
Chicago opened at +400 to win the division but is 4th in the Central and eight games behind division leader Milwaukee. The Bulls have winning records this season against the Central and their Eastern conference rivals, but Chicago doesn’t score enough points, and its defense isn’t good enough to carry them.
The Bulls bench is mediocre, and the starting five isn’t deep enough to challenge Milwaukee or Cleveland in a loaded Central Division.
Chicago Bulls odds to win the Eastern Conference +15000
The Chicago Bulls’ odds to win the Eastern Conference are +15000 (Caesars), and not a good bet to make.
Chicago opened at +3000 to win the east, but the Bulls got off to a slow start and what once was a possibility seems too much of a longshot. Chicago has the 25th-worst net rating in the game with bottom-third offenses and defenses.
The Bulls are 7-12 on the road and .500 at United Center, and Chicago isn’t deep enough, nor do they have a defense that can make up for their offensive shortcomings. Chicago should make the playoffs and maybe win a playoff round, but that’s as far as the Bulls go this season.
Chicago Bulls’ odds to win the NBA Championship +16000
The Chicago Bulls’ odds to win the NBA Championship is +16000 (FanDuel), which is a bad bet.
The Bulls have been inconsistent this season, and they miss Lonzo Ball on both ends of the floor without a timetable for his return. DeRozan and LaVine are solid, but neither is the number one scoring option that can lead Chicago to a championship.
The Bulls’ bench is average, and they have too many hurdles to climb to win the 2023 NBA championship.
