The Chicago Bulls will look to snap a three-game losing streak when they host the Dallas Mavericks at the United Center on Saturday night. Dallas, grappling with significant injuries to stars like Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, aims to improve their poor road record. The game tips off at 8:00 p.m. ET amid predictions favoring the Bulls.
The Dallas Mavericks enter this matchup with a 14-24 record, continuing to slide in the Western Conference standings after losing key players to injury. Anthony Davis is sidelined for approximately the next month, including this annual homecoming game in Chicago, while Kyrie Irving is also out. This has forced more responsibility onto rookie Cooper Flagg, who has increased his field goal attempts in games without Davis. The Mavericks are 4-13 on the road this season and have gone 0-9 against the spread away from home since December 1. Their backcourt, led by Klay Thompson and Ryan Nembhard, has averaged 17.6 points and 6.5 assists over the last month but struggles to provide quality production.
Meanwhile, the Chicago Bulls sit at 17-20 overall, with a winning record at home despite dropping their last three games. Forward Matas Buzelis has been a scoring option for the shorthanded team, recently posting 20 points and three rebounds in a loss to the Pistons on Wednesday. However, he has gone under 24.5 points plus rebounds in six of his last nine games, averaging 14.9 points and 5.2 rebounds this season. Nikola Vucevic anchors the center position, limiting Buzelis's rebounding opportunities. Over his last 10 games, Buzelis averages 17.7 points and 5.0 rebounds.
Odds list the Bulls as 2.5-point favorites with a total of 233 points. Betting trends highlight Dallas's recent unders, with four straight games below their totals. The Bulls seek to capitalize on the Mavericks' flaws, potentially extending their home advantage in this evenly matched but injury-impacted contest. Following the game, Dallas hosts the Brooklyn Nets on Monday, while Chicago travels to face the Houston Rockets on Tuesday.
