Bulls vs. Pacers Spread Prediction
The Pacers became the latest victims of the Magic, losing at home as a small favorite in their last game. Having dropped three of their last four games, are they overvalued tonight at the betting window against the visiting Bulls at 7:00 p.m. ET?
Game Snapshot
517 Chicago Bulls at 518 Indiana Pacers
7:00 p.m. ET, Tuesday, March 5, 2019
Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
Our NBA Live Odds page pulls spreads and totals from multiple different online sportsbooks so you can compare betting odds to ensure you’re getting the best line.
Public Betting Trends
According to oddsmakers from online sportsbook BetNow.eu, the Pacers are 7.5-point favorites to beat the Bulls. The total, meanwhile, sits at 219 points and as of this writing, 53% of the public betting tickets wagered at online sportsbooks are on the Bulls to cover the point spread.
Chicago Bulls Fantasy Spin
Lauri Markkanen’s double-double streak ended on Sunday as he scored 19 points (6-of-21 FGs, 4-of-5 FTs) with nine rebounds, three assists, three triples and two steals. Markkanen said he was battling an illness and “felt his heartbeat racing at times” on Friday, but he looked fine in 29 minutes tonight. Considering he played 54 minutes in that quadruple-overtime epic, his availability on Sunday suggests the Bulls aren’t too worried about his rest-of-season workload. He’s been a top-20 roto value since the All-Star break and shows no signs of cooling off.
Indiana Pacers Fantasy Spin
Darren Collison accounted for a team-high 23 points (8-of-12 FGs, 5-of-6 FTs), ten assists, three rebounds and two 3-pointers in Saturday’s loss to the Magic. Collison did much of his damage in the first half, with Orlando’s D.J. Augustin serving as his primary defender. However once Augustin went down with a sprained ankle the Magic went bigger at the point, calling upon Jerian Grant and Isaiah Briscoe to fill the void and both were successful defensively. Second half aside, Collison managed to bounce back after scoring a total of 15 points in the two games prior. He’s a valuable player in most leagues, and that will remain the case with the playoffs on the horizons.
NBA Betting Trends
Chicago
The Bulls are 0-4-1 against the spread in their last five road games when facing an opponent with a home winning percentage greater than .600.
Indiana
The Pacers are a perfect 7-0 against the spread in their last seven home games when facing an opponent with a road winning percentage of less than .400.
Prediction
The Bulls have won three out of their last five games and are 6-4 over their last 10, plus are 5-1 against the number in their last six games versus the Pacers. That said, Indiana still feels undervalued despite its recent woes. The Pacers, who are coming off a home loss to the Magic, are 22-9 against the number in their last 31 games following a loss. They’re also 8-3 at the betting window in their last 11 home games versus the Bulls, while the home side has covered in four of the previous five meetings between these two teams. Despite their loss to the Magic, the Pacers are also 6-2 against the spread in their last eight home games. Given the matchup on paper, this line should be closer to 10 than 7.5.
Tuesday NBA Prediction: Indiana Pacers -7.5