The NBA takes its product to France on Thursday for the 2023 NBA Paris Game. Accor Arena hosts a matchup between the Detroit Pistons and the Chicago Bulls. Chicago is 20-24 this season after a 132-118 win over the Golden State Warriors, and Detroit is 12-35 in 2022-23. Lonzo Ball (knee) and Javonte Green (knee) are out for the Bulls. Cade Cunningham (tibia) and Marvin Bagley III (hand) are out for the Pistons, with Jalen Duren (ankle), Cory Joseph (knee), and Nerlens Noel (foot) listed as questionable.
Tip-off is at 3 p.m. ET in Paris. Caesars Sportsbook lists the Bulls as 6-point favorites, while the over/under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 236 in the latest Bulls vs. Pistons odds. Before you make any Bulls vs. Pistons picks, you need to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s advanced computer simulation model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past four-plus seasons. The model enters Week 14 of the 2022-23 NBA season on a stunning 45-20 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning more than $2,200. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Bulls vs. Pistons and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Bulls vs. Pistons:
Bulls vs. Pistons spread: Bulls -6
Bulls vs. Pistons over/under: 236 points
Bulls vs. Pistons money line: Bulls -225, Pistons +185
CHI: The Bulls are 22-20-2 against the spread this season
DET: The Pistons are 20-24-3 against the spread this season
Bulls vs. Pistons picks: See picks here
Why the Bulls can cover
The Bulls have a pair of top-flight scorers in Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. LaVine has been playing tremendous basketball in recent days, averaging 32.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game while shooting 48.8% from the field and 41.5% from 3-point range in the last six games. He is averaging 23.9 points per game this season, and DeRozan adds 26.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game on 50.6% shooting.
Chicago is also facing a Detroit defense that is struggling badly, with the Pistons ranking No. 29 in the league with a 118.0 defensive rating. The Pistons are dead-last in the NBA in 2-point defense, with opponents shooting 57.4%, and ranks in the bottom five in both field goal percentage allowed (49.3%) and free throw attempts allowed (25.5 per game). Chicago is in the top six of the league in field goal percentage (48.8%), 3-point percentage (37.3%), and free throw percentage (81.7%), and the Bulls commit fewer than 14 turnovers per game.
Why the Pistons can cover
Detroit is highly physical and athletic, leading to key strengths that boost overall efficiency. The Pistons create more free throw attempts (27.0 per game) than any team in the NBA, and are very strong on the offensive glass. Detroit is above-average in offensive rebound rate (29.0%) and in the top eight in second-chance points, averaging 15.3 per game. Chicago struggles to defend the 3-point line, allowing opponents to shoot 36.9%, and the Bulls are second-worst in the league in assist prevention (26.4 assists allowed per game).
On defense, the Pistons create 7.1 steals per game, an above-average mark, and Detroit is facing a Bulls team that doesn’t use force at a high level. Chicago is No. 28 in the NBA in offensive rebound rate (23.2%) and No. 24 in the league in free throw creation, averaging only 22.5 attempts per game.
How to make Bulls vs. Pistons picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the point total, with five players projected to score more than 17 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in almost 60% of simulations. You can only see the model’s pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Bulls vs. Pistons? And which side of the spread hits in almost 60% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Bulls vs. Pistons spread you need to jump on Thursday, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.