Chicago Bulls at Golden State Warriors
Feb 5, 2011 10:30 PM EST
Opening Line: Chicago -3.5
Current Line: Chicago -3.5
Opening Total: 202
Current Total: 204.5
Opening moneyline: Chi -165 / GS +145
Current Moneyline: Chi -160 / GS +140
Chicago has been playing particuarly well. They’ve won 6 straight and over the win streak they have not allowed more than 90 points and are winning the games by an average of 12.5 points. The scary thing is that they’ve been doing this without their starting center, workhorse Joakim Noah. “Our confidence is very high,” Derrick Rose said. “We’re still under the radar, but that’s fine with us. We’re just going to try to keep getting wins. We’re jelling.”
Golden State is giving up 106.2 points per game this year. It’s hard to win when your defense is that bad. They put up 103.3 points of their own, but at what point do you abandon the run n gun style and go for a more traditional team that runs half court sets and shoots with 10 seconds or less on the shot clock on many plays.
Some betting trends:
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Chicago’s last 8 games and they are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games. The total has gone OVER in 4 of their last 6 road games and they are 4-1-1 ATS in those games. The total has gone UNDER in 4 of their last 5 games against Golden State and Chicago is 5-1 SU in their last 6 against Golden State. Chicago is 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games on the road vs Golden State. The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Chicago’s last 16 games on the road against Golden State. The total has also gone OVER in 4 of Chicago’s past 6 road games at Golden State, and they are 2-9 SU in their last 11 games at Oracle arena.
Golden State is 2-4 SU in their last 6 games and 1-4 ATS in their last 5. The total has gone OVER In 9 of Golden State’s last 11 games and OVER in 12 of their last 14 home games. Golden State is 9-4 SU in their last 13 at home and 1-4 ATS in their last 5 at home. The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Golden State’s last 5 games against the Bulls and Golden State is 1-5 SU in their last 6 against the Bulls. Golden State is 1-4-1 ATS in those games and 9-2 SU in their last 11 home games against Golden State.
Key Matchups:
Carlos Boozer vs. David Lee
This is a battle of two all-star level players, though only one of them has been playing like one. Lee’s numbers are down across the board but especially in scoring where his average has dipped 4.3 points since last year. He’s still a good player, but nothing like the force he was in New York. Boozer has been playing Boozer basketball, and if you follow Boozer at all, you will know that is a very good thing. He’s close to another 20-10 season, something he hasn’t done since 07-08. He’s averaging 20 points and 10 boards over the last two games, and his average will probably be about that when the year ends, if he continues to increase at this pace.
Derrick Rose vs. Stephen Curry
This is another great matchup between two young superstars. Curry isn’t quite on Rose’s level, but then again, there are few point guards who are. Rose is averaging 24.6 points per game, 8.2 assists per game, 4.6 rebounds, 44.5% FG, 37.9% three, 82% FT. Curry’s numbers have improved moderately in his second season as a pro. He’s averaging 19.1 points per game this year, and is also getting 5.9 assists and 3.6 rebounds. For his career against Chicago (3 games) he is averaging 16.3 points, 4.3 asts, and 3 rebs per night, a full 1.7 points below his career average. Is Rose the cause of this? Probably. It won’t be long until we’re talking about him taking over on the defensive end of the court.
