OKLAHOMA CITY vs CHICAGO 12/7/2018 Odds, Picks & Preview

The OKLAHOMA CITY and the CHICAGO will both be gunning for a victory on 12/7/2018 at 8:05 PM when they meet in a game matchup.

OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER vs CHICAGO BULLS
When: 8:00 PM  ET, Friday, December 7, 2018
Where: United Center, Chicago, Illinois

TV: 8:05 PM
LINE: 9
PREDICTION: CHICAGO , OKLAHOMA CITY

Oddsmakers currently have the CHICAGO listed as 9 point favorites versus the OKLAHOMA CITY, while the game’s total is sitting at 216.

The red-hot Oklahoma City Thunder look to post their fifth straight victory when they visit the struggling Chicago Bulls on Friday. Oklahoma City recovered from a 23-point deficit to record a 114-112 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday for its 16th victory in the past 19 games.

Forward Paul George scored 25 of his 47 points in the final quarter and completed his team’s comeback with the winning 3-pointer with 3.1 seconds to play. “It felt good. I had the hot hand,” George told reporters of the stellar performance that fell one point shy of his career best. “Honestly, when you’re in the zone, everything is just kind of slowed down. Everything is timing, from the ball dribbling to the steps to get to the basket, everything seems calculated and slowed down.” Jim Boylen made his debut as coach on Tuesday but the Bulls fell 96-90 to the Indiana Pacers to suffer their season-worst seventh straight setback and 11th in their last 12 contests. “I really like this team. I like these guys,” Boylen told reporters after his game as Fred Hoiberg’s replacement. “I thought we competed. I thought we battled. That’s a big, physical team. I’m really proud of this group. We have a lot of mistakes to clean up, we have a lot of things I think we have to get better at. It was awesome.”

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Oklahoma, NBCS Chicago

ABOUT THE THUNDER (16-7): George and point guard Russell Westbrook continue to mesh well in their second season together and the former MVP was mighty impressed with George’s fourth-quarter splurge. “I love it,” Westbrook told reporters of George’s ability to take over games. “When you’re able to sit back and watch and see the time he’s put in and how it’s been so much better for him this year and see it pay off in a moment we much need it, it’s great. I’m just happy that he’s on my team.”Westbrook had 21 points, 17 assists and 15 rebounds in the victory for his 108th career triple-double, snapping a tie with Jason Kidd for third most in NBA history.

ABOUT THE BULLS (5-20): Power forward Lauri Markkanen recorded 21 points and 10 rebounds against Indiana in his second game after missing the first 23 due to an elbow injury. But the second-year pro is still looking to find his shooting touch after going 8-for-24 against the Pacers and 12-of-38 in the two games. “I don’t think I had too many bad shots,” Markkanen told reporters. “They were quite open and they all felt good. Just get my timing back – had so many offensive rebounds I had my hand on the ball and I just couldn’t grab it. All that little stuff will get better if I keep playing.”

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Thunder won both of last season’s meetings, holding the Bulls to an average of 74 points.

2. Chicago SG Zach LaVine tallied 20 or more points in 20 of his 24 appearances but scored just 13 against the Pacers.

3. George also collected a season-best 15 rebounds against the Nets while posting his seventh double-double of the season.

PREDICTION: Thunder 109, Bulls 103

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