Clippers vs Bulls Odds, Picks & Predictions | NBA Betting Preview (Thursday, March 14)

Here's everything you need to know about Clippers vs. Bulls on Thursday, March 14 — our expert prediction and betting picks for today's game.

Coming off a hard-fought overtime win on the road against the Pacers, the Bulls return home on the second night of a back-to-back to welcome the Clippers. Can L.A. reestablish momentum after dropping two in a row to quality opponents, or will this prove to be the game that sends the team back in the wrong direction?

Let's get into Clippers vs. Bulls odds and my Clippers vs. Bulls prediction.

Pick: Clippers -6 (-110)

The Clippers had just begun to look like a title contender again, snapping out of a long cold spell that started just before the All-Star break to take four of five games. Then they played the Bucks and Timberwolves and dropped both games in disappointing fashion given the form both teams are in.

The backbone of the Clippers over that run has been their offense, though they rank just eighth in the league over seven games this month, which is a long way off from the elite production we saw a month ago. Things briefly picked back up with a three-game run that saw the Clippers score more than 120 points per 100 possessions, but the offense went backwards in an 18-point loss to Minnesota on Tuesday.

The Clippers have had a little bit of turnover in their starting lineup over the last couple of weeks with their stars taking turns sitting out games, which could have a little to do with it. An encouraging note is that the Clippers are shooting 39.4% from 3-point range this month, according to Cleaning the Glass, but even in what was a decent shooting night on Tuesday, this team still failed to score with efficiency thanks to 18 turnovers. They also continued to look mediocre on defense.

The last team the Clippers successfully defeated was the Bulls, a game which took place in L.A. on Saturday. The Clippers held the Bulls to a 107.4 offensive rating, dominating on the glass and playing the offense we've grown accustomed to seeing despite poor shooting from deep (34.4%). They did so with 16 turnovers, too, and their performance inside the arc was certainly encouraging and a stark contrast to what we saw against a hard-nosed Minnesota defense.

I should note that James Harden (shoulder) and Kawhi Leonard (thoracic spasms) are currently listed as questionable for this tilt.

The Bulls have a pretty significant injury of their own to deal with, losing Coby White to a serious-looking hip injury in Wednesday's win over the Pacers. A backcourt already decimated by injuries has lost another guard, this time one that sits in the top 10% of all players in estimated offensive impact, according to Dunks & Threes.

It's a shame considering Chicago ranks 12th in offensive efficiency in March, reeling off four wins in its last six games. In Indy, DeMar DeRozan willed this team to victory with 46 points while Ayo Dosunmu contributed 20 points of his own. Both played heavy minutes, with DeRozan logging 44 and Dosunmu 43.

Considering the injury to White came late, it's unclear what the plan will be to replace him, but the Bulls will likely go with Torrey Craig in his stead. The wing's had a rather middling season on defense — if Leonard suits up, Craig will have his hands full on that end of the floor.

The Bulls did do the job against the Clippers when it came to defending the 3 just five days ago, but over their last seven games, they rank just 16th against the outside shot. Sitting 18th against the mid-range jumper and 14th at the rim, it's hard to see where this team will be able to slow L.A.'s roll — and unsurprisingly it has allowed the second-most points per 100 possessions in the NBA this month.

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For a team that's been driven by its offense over the last seven games, Chicago is going to miss White in a big way. Already short-handed and playing on the second night of a back-to-back, in what's an extreme fatigue spot after a marathon OT win on Wednesday, the Bulls are certainly behind the proverbial 8-ball here.

The only saving grace is that Chicago is 11th in turning the ball over, and that's been something that's stung the Clippers in recent games. The unfortunate news is that despite doing a good job in that area on Saturday, the Bulls still had no answer for the Clippers inside the arc. Chicago should also expect a bit of shooting variance given the state of its perimeter defense and L.A.'s recent hot streak from outside.

Ultimately, this is going to be one too many injuries to overcome, at least this close to a game which absolutely drained this team of its energy. The Bulls may be 6-5 against the spread (ATS) on no rest and 8-6 ATS as home underdogs, but the Clippers are a whopping 10-5 ATS with the rest advantage and 12-10 ATS as road favorites.

I expect more shots to fall for the Clippers in what should be a tough game for the Bulls.

Pick: Clippers -6 (-110)