Chicago Bulls vs. Detroit Pistons: Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 1/19/2023

Time: 3 p.m. ET

Venue: Accor Arena, Paris

Where to watch: BSDET, NBCSCH

DraftKings: Bulls -6; CHI -230, DET +195

FanDuel: Bulls -7; CHI -260, DET +215

BetMGM: Bulls -6.5; CHI -250, DET +195

Caesars: Bulls -6; CHI -227, DET +185

Bulls: 20-24

Pistons: 12-35

Bulls: won 132-118 vs. Warriors

Pistons: lost 117-104 vs. Knicks

The Chicago Bulls will try to get back on the winning track, and win a second straight game, when they face the Detroit Pistons in Paris on Thursday.

I’m not sure if the NBA’s Global Series is supposed to intentionally feature two bad teams just to see who could be contractually obligated to go, but this isn’t the way to do it. Grow the game by getting someone from France out there, or not have two bad teams there for TV rating purposes.

The Bulls are coming off a 132-118 win over the Golden State Warriors as 6-point underdogs on Sunday, putting on an offensive clinic against a team that’s still trying to find a rhythm after Steph Curry returned, but the story of the game was the dominance of Nikola Vucevic, tying a career-high 43 points and 13 rebounds to end Chicago’s three-game losing streak.

Zach LaVine added 27 points, as the Bulls were also able to win this one without DeMar DeRozan, who missed his third straight game due to a right quad strain.

“I know I'm capable of it,” Vucevic said. “I know how good I am, especially at the offensive end. It's just me finding my spots and playing that way.”

Vucevic’s tenure in Chicago hasn’t exactly lived up to that, so forgive us if we question you taking over as a No. 1 option. Nevertheless, the Bulls are playing .500 basketball over the last 10 games but are 5-2 against the spread in their last seven. Even with those three straight losses to Boston, Washington and Oklahoma City, they covered in the one that may have mattered most: the 9.5 against Boston.

“I think we defended well,” LaVine said. “They were going to make shots, either way. They got those type of players. Their offense is tough to play against. We just stuck with it. Played good in runs and kept attacking.”

It’s been a rough year for the lowly Pistons. They hoped this year could be the start of the budding backcourt of Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey, but Cunningham out for the year with a leg injury put the clamps on that. Instead, the Pistons are 12-35 and staring at the barrel of another lottery pick, more reinforcements for this young team.

Detroit has lost five of six and has also failed to cover in five of the last six, the lates tbeing a 117-104 loss to the New York Knicks on Sunday. While the story was Julius Randle going off for 42 points and 15 rebounds, it was a strong game for Ivey with 21 points, six rebounds and six assists, along with 21 points for Saddiq Bey.

“We battled the whole game, but we should have started better,” Ivey said. “We got back into the game, but we wish we could have some of those late-game possessions back.”

The Bulls have covered in 11 of the last 12 meetings and with early odds trending toward the Bulls laying six points, that’s a good number on a neutral site game. I can see the Bulls, even if DeRozan isn’t available, finding a way to win this one. Bulls 114, Pistons 102

Bulls are 28-16 ATS after a non-conference game the last 2 seasons.

Bulls are 17-6 ATS off an upset win as an underdog the last 2 seasons.

Pistons are 0-13 ATS revenging a same-season loss this season.

PG: Ayo Dosunmu

SG: Zach LaVine

SF: DeMar DeRozan

PF: Patrick Williams

C: Nikola Vucevic

PG: Killian Hayes

SG: Jaden Ivey

SF: Bojan Bogdanovic

PF: Isaiah Stewart

C: Isaiah Livers

Bulls: Lonzo Ball (knee, out)

Pistons: Jalen Duren (ankle, questionable)

Points: DeMar DeRozan – 26.1

Rebounds: Nikola Vucevic – 10.9

Assists: DeMar DeRozan – 4.9

Points: Bojan Bogdanovic – 21.2

Rebounds: Jalen Duren – 8.5

Assists: Killian Hayes – 5.7