by Chuck Sommers
Friday, Mar 31, 2023
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Venue: Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC
Where to watch: BSSE-CHA, NBCSCH
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Bulls -7
BetMGM: Bulls -7
Caesars: Bulls -7
Season record
Bulls: 36-40
Hornets: 26-51
Bulls - Hornets preview, prediction and analysis
The Chicago Bulls will be playing the Charlotte Hornets on Friday, March 31 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The Chicago Bulls lost against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, March 29 in Chicago, Illinois with a score of 121-110. The Chicago Bulls currently rank 3rd in the Central Division.
Nikola Vucevic had 29 points, 12 rebounds and six assists for Chicago in its second straight loss. DeMar DeRozan scored 22 points, and reserve Coby White had 17 points and nine assists.
The Bulls (36-40) are 10th in the Eastern Conference, clinging to the last spot for the play-in tournament.
“Obviously we didn't close the (first) half very well. ... And in the third quarter, LeBron made some tough shots and then our inability to score with them hurt us," coach Billy Donovan said.
LaVine's dunk got Chicago within seven with 56.7 seconds left in the third. But Los Angeles quickly pulled away in the final period.
Reaves had a little fun with former teammate Patrick Beverley in the fourth quarter.
After driving into the lane and making a floater over Beverley with 2:50 remaining, Reaves lowered his right hand to make the dismissive “too small” gesture sometimes used by NBA players to taunt their opponents.
Beverley did the same thing against James on Sunday.
“It wasn't something I thought about doing all game,” Reaves said. “But I felt like right time, right situation. Me and Pat (have) a good relationship. I respect him. It's just me competing.”
The Chicago Bulls have won six of their last 10 games.
The Charlotte Hornets won against the Oklahoma City Thunder last Tuesday, March 28 in Oklahoma City with a score of 137-134. The Charlotte Hornets currently rank 5th in the Southeast Division.
P.J. Washington scored 22 of his career-high 43 points in the fourth quarter, and the Charlotte Hornets rallied to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 137-134 on Tuesday night for their third straight win.
Washington made 8 of 11 field goals and 3 of 5 3-pointers in the final quarter to help the Hornets recover from an eight-point deficit early in the period.
“Credit to my teammates getting me in the right spots,” he said. “I was just trying to be aggressive with the shots that I did take."
Charlotte was short-handed, too. Terry Rozier (right foot discomfort) and Kelly Oubre (strained right shoulder) sat out for the third straight game and Dennis Smith (sprained right toe) also did not play.
That didn't stop the Hornets from scoring 80 points after halftime.
The Hornets were coming off two wins over the Dallas Mavericks, who also need victories to get into the Western Conference playoffs.
Maledon hit a 3-pointer with six minutes left to give Charlotte a 123-110 lead. The Thunder responded with a 7-0 run, with six of the points coming from Lu Dort, to stay in the game. Oklahoma City tied the game at 129 on an acrobatic layup by Williams with just over two minutes to play, and it was close the rest of the way.
The Charlotte Hornets have won five of their last 10 games.
Prediction
The Hornets are playing the world's greatest spoiler. They might pull that against the Bulls in dire need of a win. Hornets 118, Bulls 114
The Chicago Bulls lost against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, March 29 in Chicago, Illinois with a score of 121-110. The Chicago Bulls currently rank 3rd in the Central Division.
Nikola Vucevic had 29 points, 12 rebounds and six assists for Chicago in its second straight loss. DeMar DeRozan scored 22 points, and reserve Coby White had 17 points and nine assists.
The Bulls (36-40) are 10th in the Eastern Conference, clinging to the last spot for the play-in tournament.
“Obviously we didn't close the (first) half very well. ... And in the third quarter, LeBron made some tough shots and then our inability to score with them hurt us," coach Billy Donovan said.
LaVine's dunk got Chicago within seven with 56.7 seconds left in the third. But Los Angeles quickly pulled away in the final period.
Reaves had a little fun with former teammate Patrick Beverley in the fourth quarter.
After driving into the lane and making a floater over Beverley with 2:50 remaining, Reaves lowered his right hand to make the dismissive “too small” gesture sometimes used by NBA players to taunt their opponents.
Beverley did the same thing against James on Sunday.
“It wasn't something I thought about doing all game,” Reaves said. “But I felt like right time, right situation. Me and Pat (have) a good relationship. I respect him. It's just me competing.”
The Chicago Bulls have won six of their last 10 games.
The Charlotte Hornets won against the Oklahoma City Thunder last Tuesday, March 28 in Oklahoma City with a score of 137-134. The Charlotte Hornets currently rank 5th in the Southeast Division.
P.J. Washington scored 22 of his career-high 43 points in the fourth quarter, and the Charlotte Hornets rallied to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 137-134 on Tuesday night for their third straight win.
Washington made 8 of 11 field goals and 3 of 5 3-pointers in the final quarter to help the Hornets recover from an eight-point deficit early in the period.
“Credit to my teammates getting me in the right spots,” he said. “I was just trying to be aggressive with the shots that I did take."
Charlotte was short-handed, too. Terry Rozier (right foot discomfort) and Kelly Oubre (strained right shoulder) sat out for the third straight game and Dennis Smith (sprained right toe) also did not play.
That didn't stop the Hornets from scoring 80 points after halftime.
The Hornets were coming off two wins over the Dallas Mavericks, who also need victories to get into the Western Conference playoffs.
Maledon hit a 3-pointer with six minutes left to give Charlotte a 123-110 lead. The Thunder responded with a 7-0 run, with six of the points coming from Lu Dort, to stay in the game. Oklahoma City tied the game at 129 on an acrobatic layup by Williams with just over two minutes to play, and it was close the rest of the way.
The Charlotte Hornets have won five of their last 10 games.
Prediction
The Hornets are playing the world's greatest spoiler. They might pull that against the Bulls in dire need of a win. Hornets 118, Bulls 114
Projected starting lineup
Bulls:
PG: Patrick Beverley
SG: Alex Caruso
SF: Zach LaVine
PF: DeMar DeRozan
C: Nikola Vucevic
Hornets:
PG: Dennis Smith Jr.
SG: Svi Mykhailiuk
SF: Gordon Hayward
PF: P.J. Washington
C: Mark Williams
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Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
