The Phoenix Suns will host the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night, aiming to secure a third consecutive victory and close the gap in the Western Conference playoff race. Phoenix enters with a 35-26 record after a recent win over the Sacramento Kings, while the Bulls have struggled, losing 15 of their last 17 games. The game tips off at 9 p.m. ET at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix.
The Suns (35-26) are looking to build on their momentum following a 114-103 victory against the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday, where Devin Booker returned from a four-game absence due to a hip injury. Phoenix trails the Los Angeles Lakers by two games for the sixth spot in the Western Conference, which carries an automatic playoff berth. The team has not achieved a three-game winning streak since the end of January.
In contrast, the Chicago Bulls (25-37) are in a downturn, having lost 15 of their last 17 contests since a four-game winning streak from January 18-24. The Bulls have had little success against the Suns recently, dropping 11 straight meetings since a 116-110 victory in Phoenix on March 18, 2019. This season, Chicago has lost its first two games to Phoenix by a combined total of 10 points.
The Suns are listed as 10.5-point favorites in the consensus NBA odds. The SportsLine Projection Model simulates the Bulls covering the +10.5 spread in 67% of its runs, noting that five of Chicago's last eight losses have been by fewer than 10 points and that only three of their 11 defeats to Phoenix in the series exceeded nine points.
Additionally, SportsLine props expert Alex Selesnick projects Phoenix guard Collin Gillespie to fall under 25.5 points plus assists plus rebounds, having exceeded that combined stat only four times in his last 18 games. The matchup highlights Phoenix's push for playoff positioning against a faltering Chicago squad.
