Bulls Slight Favorites Versus Raptors

Seeding matters in the NBA playoffs and that is something both the Chicago Bulls and Toronto Raptors are well aware of.

The Bulls have already clinched their spot in the playoff and currently sit at the No. 3 seed. The Raptors are No. 4 and, while they have not clinched their spot in the post season, they are focused on getting the two wins needed to get take the No. 3 seed from Chicago. It would be poetic if one of those wins came against the Bulls.

That is the opportunity the Raptors have tonight when they host Chicago at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Why does being the No. 3 seed matter? If the Bulls hang on to the No. 3 spot they will face the Milwaukee Bucks in round 1, a team with a losing record. The No. 4 seed will have to face the Washington Wizards.

The Bulls have opened as -1.5-point favorites at most betting sites.

Chicago is coming off a 98-86 win over the New Orleans Hornet. They covered a 7-point spread in that game as favorites and sent UNDER bettors to the payout window.

Chicago has struggled to cover on the road as of late. They are 1-7 against the spread in their last eight road games.

The Raptors lost their last outing to the Detroit Pistons in a nailbiter, 108-104. They failed to cover a 4-point spread as the favorites. OVER bettors made money on that game.

The Raptors have struggled to cover at home. In their last seven games in Toronto they are 2-5 against the spread.

The total for OVER/UNDER betting is sitting around 199 points at most sports books.

Chicago has gone OVER in seven of their last nine games, while they are on a five game streak of sending OVER bettors to the window when on the road.

The total has gone OVER in five of Toronto’s last six games.