Update: Beal is in for the Suns, and will be on a minutes limit. The Suns are now 1-point favorites, and the total has gone to 218. We’ll flip our pick to Suns -1 and take the over on the new total.
The Phoenix Suns (3-4) will face off against the Chicago Bulls (3-5) on Wednesday night as both teams are off to a slow start this season. The Suns just snapped a three-game losing streak with a 120-106 win over the Pistons on Monday, while the Bulls are in the exact same boat, ending their three-game skid with a 130-113 win over the Jazz. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. ET from United Center in Chicago.
The Suns have been without Bradley Beal through the season so far, as he’s been sidelined with a back injury. He’s listed as questionable ahead of this game and it looks like he may be making his debut against the Bulls. Devin Booker has been plagued with injury through the beginning of the season, playing just two of the Suns’ seven games so far. He’s out with a calf injury.
The Bulls are 1-point favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook, priced at -112 on the moneyline while the Suns come in at -108. The total is set at 220 for this game.
Suns vs. Bulls, 8 p.m. ET
Pick ATS: Bulls -1
The Suns are off to a slow start as Kevin Durant has been the only one of Frank Vogel’s “Big 3” to play every game so far. He’s been averaging 29.9 points per game, which has increased to 33.3 per game through his three games in November. Phoenix has been struggling without the services of Devin Booker, and we have still yet to see Beal in a Suns uniform during the regular season.
On the other side, Zach LaVine has been averaging 22.5 points per game for the Bulls so far, dropping a career-high 51 points against the Pistons at the end of October. He just put up 24 for the second time this month in a 130-113 win over the Jazz as he’s continued to perform well after a rough first couple of games.
Unless Booker and/or Beal see the floor at United Center, I’m backing the Bulls to get the win and cover the spread at home. Of course, if we see one or both of those two guys, I think this would swing the other way to pick a Suns cover.
Over/Under: Over 220
Both teams have gone over the total four times so far this season, with Chicago finishing over the total in the last two games without much trouble. Even if Booker and Beal aren’t on the court, KD will likely continue to carry much of the offense on his shoulders and put in a solid performance, while LaVine has been performing well lately too. Both offenses should be able to run the score up, so I’m taking the over in this one.