The Detroit Pistons and the Chicago Bulls will both be gunning for a victory on Sunday when they meet at United Center.
Detroit At Chicago
When: 7:00 PM ET, Sunday, March 31, 2013
Where: United Center, Chicago, Illinois
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Detroit, WGN (Chicago)
PREDICTION: Bulls 95, Pistons 88
Oddsmakers currently have the Bulls listed as 9-point favorites versus the Pistons, while the game’s total is sitting at 187.
Detroit coach Lawrence Frank called his team’s performance Friday against Toronto “embarrassing,” pointing particularly to a third quarter in which the Pistons were outscored 36-15. It wasn’t all bad for Detroit, though, as rookie Andre Drummond returned after missing 22 games because of a stress fracture in his lower back and scored 17 points in 19 minutes. The Pistons could be without another one of their solid young players, though, with guard Brandon Knight listed as doubtful after injuring his ankle against the Raptors.
Detroit lost its last outing, a 99-82 result against the Raptors on March 29. The Pistons failed to cover in that game as a 1.5-point favorite, while the 181 combined points took the game UNDER the total.
Team record: 24-49 SU, 32-41 ATS
Current streak: lost 2 straight games.
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of last 5 games when playing on the road against Chicago
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of last 5 games
is 5-12 ATS in its last 17 games
is 4-17-1 ATS in its last 22 games when playing Chicago
When playing on Sunday are 2-8
Before playing Toronto are 2-8
After playing Toronto are 5-5
After a loss are 1-9
The Bulls have held their own with some of their top players sidelined – Marco Belinelli (strained abdominal muscle), Richard Hamilton (back spasms) and Joakim Noah (foot) all sat out Saturday – but they missed having their stars down the stretch against Dallas, as the Mavericks overcame a 12-point deficit in the final four minutes. “This was a tough loss,” guard Kirk Hinrich told reporters. “We just didn’t finish it out.” Noah and Belinelli could return against the Pistons.
Chicago lost its last outing, a 100-98 result against the Mavericks on March 30. The Bulls covered in that game as a 5.5-point underdog, while the 198 combined points took the game OVER the total.
Team record: 39-32 SU, 33-38 ATS
is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Detroit
is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Detroit
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of last 5 games when playing at home against Detroit
is 17-4-1 ATS in its last 22 games when playing Detroit
When playing on Sunday are 4-6
Before playing Washington are 7-3
After playing Dallas are 7-3
After a loss are 6-4
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