The Chicago Bulls (29-44) and Memphis Grizzlies (24-49) will meet in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 8:00 p.m. ET from FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. The game will broadcast live on CHSN.
The Bulls are 3.5-point favorites over the Grizzlies on the spread (Bulls -3.5), with the over/under set at 245.5 total points. Chicago is a -175 favorite to win outright on the moneyline, while Memphis is +145 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Bulls vs. Grizzlies predictions and NBA picks for Saturday, March 28.
Bulls vs Grizzlies Prediction, Pick
- Bulls vs Grizzlies pick: Bulls -3.5 (-115)
My Grizzlies vs. Bulls best bet is on Chicago to cover the spread. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NBA odds page.
Bulls vs Grizzlies Odds
| Bulls Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-3.5 -115 | 245.5 -105o / -115u | -175 |
| Grizzlies Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+3.5 -105 | 245.5 -105o / -115u | +145 |
Bulls vs Grizzlies NBA Preview
After a winless start on their road trip, the Bulls head to Memphis seeking to snap a two-game losing streak.
The Grizzlies certainly resemble the perfect opponent at the moment, considering they're not offering much resistance, as evidenced by their 1-9 mark over the last 10 games.
At this point, some teams aren't even trying to hide that they're tanking their season with the hope of strengthening their chances for an improved lottery pick.
Memphis could field a pretty decent starting five of injured players alone, as Ja Morant, Sant Aldama, Zach Edey, Scotty Pippen Jr. and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are all ruled out for the rest of the season.
Interestingly, despite having a better Net Rating (-4.2) than the Bulls (-4.7), Memphis has also lost five more games than Chicago.
The Grizzlies produced a valiant effort in their lone victory during this 10-game stretch, defeating a Nuggets team (125-118) that featured Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.
Since then, Memphis has lost its next five games by an average of 20.4 points.
It's a bit alarming to go from being competitive against one of the best teams in the league to then getting blown out by a wide margin after such an impressive feat.
The conspiracy theorist in me would say the Grizzlies' front office probably wasn't too thrilled with the win, and now we're seeing almost an exaggeration with these lopsided results.
Therefore, the difficulty lies in picking a side when victory is of little importance to both teams. Like Memphis, Chicago has also been eliminated from the playoff picture.
However, Chicago's injury situation isn't as dire as Memphis's, given it has only three key players (Jalen Smith, Jaden Ivey and Zach Collins) out for the season.
Bulls vs Grizzlies Predictions, Betting Analysis
Saturday's matchup could resemble more of a track meet, as the Bulls and Grizzlies are two teams that like to get up and down the court.
Chicago ranks third in pace with 102.8 possessions per 48 minutes, while Memphis sits 10th with an average of 101.4.
The difference between the two teams could come down to efficiency: Chicago ranks 13th in Effective Field Goal Rate (55%), while Memphis ranks 22nd (53.4%).
Moreover, the Bulls are better on the perimeter (ranked ninth) and inside the paint, where they rank sixth with 52.1 points per game.
Given this potential for a back-and-forth between the two teams, the Bulls look better positioned to take advantage on both ends of the floor.
As a result, I can only look to the visitors and lay the 3.5 points with Chicago, a pick that is garnering increasing support on the market in terms of number of bets and money.
Pick: Bulls -3.5 (-115, DraftKings)
Spread
My Bulls vs. Grizzlies betting prediction is on Chicago to cover the spread.
Moneyline
I have no play on the moneyline.
Over/Under
I'm not interested in the total for this game.
