SACRAMENTO vs CHICAGO 12/10/2018 Odds, Picks & Preview

The SACRAMENTO and the CHICAGO will both be gunning for a victory on 12/10/2018 at 8:05 PM when they meet in a game matchup.

SACRAMENTO KINGS vs CHICAGO BULLS
When: 8:00 PM  ET, Monday, December 10, 2018
Where: United Center, Chicago, Illinois

TV: 8:05 PM
LINE: 2.5
PREDICTION: CHICAGO , SACRAMENTO

Oddsmakers currently have the CHICAGO listed as 2.5 point favorites versus the SACRAMENTO, while the game’s total is sitting at 225.

Fresh off the worst loss in franchise history, the Chicago Bulls are struggling to figure out their new coach and his methods. The Bulls will try to bounce back and put together a more competitive effort when they host the Sacramento Kings on Monday.

Chicago dropped a 133-77 decision to the Boston Celtics on Saturday and interim coach Jim Boylen subbed out all five of his starters in both the first and third quarters, a move that didn’t sit well with all the players. “It sucks man, sitting there and watching the score go up and up,” Bulls guard Zach LaVine told reporters. “I know we’re competing, but you know you can help. And sometimes you don’t feel like you do anything wrong. We got blitzed to come out. Obviously, (Boylen) didn’t like that. That happens in the NBA sometimes. We responded in the second quarter. I don’t know. I do not know. There’s a lot of questions you could ask, but I really don’t know.” The Kings are coming off a loss as well after watching a three-game winning streak come to an end with a 107-97 setback at Indiana on Saturday. “We just sucked,” Sacramento shooting guard Buddy Hield told reporters. “The second half, we didn’t get back on defense (and) turnovers killed us; turnovers and not making shots. We’re supposed to make shots.”

TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBCS California (Sacramento), NBCS Chicago

ABOUT THE KINGS (13-12): Sacramento was playing the second night of a back-to-back at Indiana on Saturday and looked sluggish while seeing a string of nine straight games scoring at least 111 points come to an end. “It will just be like a mental day, refresh, re-Zen, get yourself right again,” Kings center Willie Cauley-Stein told reporters while looking forward to a day off on Sunday. “Monday’s game is a must-win for us. I think everybody in this locker room is together, really together, and really wants to win, so this day off is going to be big for us.” Cauley-Stein collected 14 points, nine rebounds and a pair of blocks in the loss.

ABOUT THE BULLS (6-21): Boylen is increasing the frequency and intensity of practices since taking over for Fred Hoiberg last week and sat his starters for nearly the final 22 minutes on Saturday in anticipation of a spirited Sunday practice. “That’s not the standard of our program, to get down like that at home,” Boylen told reporters. “We were just following them around. We were a step slow on everything, mentally and physically. Is it want to? Is it effort? What is it? I don’t know what it is. I just wasn’t going to stand for it. I just pulled them together and told them all these people paid the money to see you guys play, and you’re not giving them the effort you gotta give them. It’s disappointing. We need some leadership to step up.” LaVine, who leads the team in scoring at an average of 24 points, finished with 11 in 19 minutes on Saturday.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Bulls PG Shaquille Harrison scored a career-high 20 points in 29 minutes off the bench on Saturday.

2. Kings SF Justin Jackson is 10-of-16 from 3-point range over the last five games.

3. Sacramento took both meetings last season, including a 107-106 victory at Chicago.

PREDICTION: Kings 116, Bulls 103

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