Chicago Bulls Vs Washington Wizards NBA Picks, Odds and Predictions

The Chicago Bulls are making the most of a favorable stretch of games following the All-Star break. A visit to Washington could help extend their recent run of success.

The Bulls look to match a season high with their fifth straight victory while trying for a third consecutive win over the new-look Wizards on Monday night.

Bet on NBA Basketball @ NBA Betting

Despite trading veteran John Salmons and former first-round pick Tyrus Thomas to free up salary cap space in the hopes of pursuing some of the game’s top free agents next season, Chicago (29-26) appears focused on succeeding in the present.

Rookie Taj Gibson tied a career high with 20 points and had 13 rebounds, while Derrick Rose and Kirk Hinrich each scored 17 as the Bulls won 122-90 at home over Philadelphia on Saturday to remain undefeated since the All-Star break.

Oddsmakers from Online Betting  have made the Bulls -2 for Monday’s game against the Wizards. Current NBA Public Betting Information shows that 58% of more the 234 bets for this game have been placed on the Bulls -2.

Hakim Warrick, acquired from Milwaukee in the Salmons’ trade, added 15 with nine boards for Chicago, which has won six of seven and is sixth in the Eastern Conference.

“We are confident and playing really good basketball,” Rose told the Bulls’ official Web site. “I’m really excited about the guys we have here right now.”

The Bulls’ schedule out of the break has helped contribute to their success. In the midst of playing seven of eight against teams with losing records, the Bulls are averaging 113.8 points and shooting 49.3 percent in two victories over New York, and wins against Minnesota and Philadelphia in their last four games.

Chicago held the 76ers to 38.4 percent shooting, while totaling a season high for points and committing a season-low four turnovers.

“If we play like that, we are a tough team to beat,” said Hinrich, who made three 3-pointers Saturday to give him a team-record 773 for his career.

Chicago figures to be a formidable opponent for Washington (19-34), which is without suspended star Gilbert Arenas and recently traded top players Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler.

Though the Wizards have won two in a row at home since the break, the Bulls have won three of their last four trips to Washington. Chicago also won 121-119 in double overtime at home in the teams’ last meeting Jan. 15.

Rose scored a career-high 37 points and had nine rebounds with six assists in that contest. Coming off his first All-Star game appearance and still nursing a sore hip, Rose is averaging 23.0 points on 55.7 percent shooting during the team’s four-game winning streak.

The Bulls last won five in a row Jan. 22-29.

Washington fell short in a bid for its first three-game winning streak of the season, losing 109-104 at Toronto on Saturday. Though the Wizards can no longer rely on the star trio of Arenas, Jamison and Butler, they appear to feel more comfortable on the floor as a group.

“We’re getting better,” said fifth-year forward Andray Blatche, who’s averaging 9.8 points on the season but 25.0 in his last three games since becoming a starter. “I like our attitude, I like our hustle. We’re going to be a great team.”

Blatche scored 24 points and former All-Star Josh Howard had 17 with seven rebounds Saturday in his third game since Dallas traded him for Butler and Brendan Haywood. Howard, who scored 20 points in the Wizards’ 107-97 win over Denver on Friday, is averaging 19.3 points and 7.2 boards in his last four games against the Bulls.

Randy Foye, who had 14 points Saturday for the Wizards, had 22 and seven assists at Chicago last month.

Check out Bulls Vs Wizards NBA Odds at SPORTSBETTING.com

Spurs vs. Pacers NBA Picks and Odds – 2010 NBA Preview

The San Antonio Spurs have faltered over the last few weeks and are in the middle of the pack in the Western Conference.
All-Star forward Tim Duncan, though, doesn’t expect the team to make any moves prior to the trade deadline.
Bet on NBA Basketball @ Online Betting
Duncan and the Spurs open the second half of their season Wednesday night at Conseco Fieldhouse, where they’ll go for their sixth straight victory over the Indiana Pacers.
Oddsmakers from online sports book SPORTSBETTING.com have made the NA point spread favorites for Wednesday’s game against the NA. Current NBA Betting Information shows that NA% of more the NA bets for this game have been placed on the NA.
Since a 15-4 stretch from Dec. 9-Jan. 13, San Antonio (30-21) has lost eight of 14, alternating wins and losses in its last seven games. The Spurs, however, closed the first half strongly by winning 111-92 at Northwest Division-leading Denver on Thursday.
“I thought we played better than we have played,” coach Gregg Popovich said. “It was one of three or four games that we played really well defensively in the first half of the season.”

With San Antonio well within reach of Southwest Division-leading Dallas, Duncan is not anticipating management to pull the trigger on a trade before Thursday’s deadline.
“I think we’re going to go to the second half with the group that we have,” Duncan said. “If something happens, then something happens, but through our history we haven’t done anything in the middle of the season. So, we’re going to continue to work with the pieces that we have and hopefully we can get it to turn.”
Indiana (18-34) would like for its fortunes to change, but the Pacers find themselves in a much different position – well out of the playoff race.
“You can’t worry about the playoffs,” forward Mike Dunleavy told the Pacers’ official Web site. “…You’ve got to worry about winning every game as it comes, take one game at a time. If we get ahead of ourselves and think we need to win a few in a row or something like that, we’re just not there yet.”
Third-year coach Jim O’Brien will apparently be the one that will try to lead Indiana in the right direction.
“The one thing Jimmy bought into when he came here was that we were going to rebuild, and we were going to struggle at times,” Pacers president Larry Bird said. “I always say the losses are on me because I want him to work these guys hard, develop the young guys we have and keep moving forward with what we have.”
With center Jeff Foster out for the season and rookie Tyler Hansbrough sidelined the last month with an inner-ear infection, Bird is happy with the progress of second-year center Roy Hibbert, who is averaging 11.1 points and 5.9 rebounds.
Hibbert had 20 points, seven rebounds and a career-high six blocked shots in a 100-99 loss at San Antonio on Dec. 19. He blocked Duncan’s shot on the Spurs’ final possession, but Duncan followed with the game-winning dunk over Hibbert.
Pacers leading scorer Danny Granger, who missed that game with a heel injury, had 35 points in San Antonio’s last visit to Indianapolis – a 126-121 victory for the Spurs on April 3.
Tony Parker led San Antonio with 31 points and 10 assists in that matchup. He could miss his second straight game Wednesday due to a left hip flexor strain.
Bet NBA Basketball and check Spurs vs. Pacers Odds at NBA Basketball Betting