I am a Bulls fan, so I often try to avoid picking their games -- always bet with the brain and not the heart. Two of my cohorts backed them here, and I totally get it. However, it's always worrisome to back a team on the second of a road/road back-to-back, which Chicago is, and the Bulls haven't won four straight games SU since December 2017 as they are trying to do here. Atlanta will have both Clint Capela and Danilo Gallinari after they missed Wednesday's game, so I think that's enough for a close Hawks win.

You had to figure there was going to be an adjustment period when the Bulls brought in Nikola Vucevic. Chicago got off to a slow start, but now has emerged to play better basketball. When stars change addresses, the new team has to adapt. Zach LaVine is going to have to adjust to playing with Vucevic. Those two guys can be a deadly combination and lead the Bulls to be a Top 5 team in the East. Look out for them down the stretch. I love Chicago in this spot.

The Hawks are really banged up and playing their seventh game in 10 days. Chicago enters on a three-game win streak and would like to avenge a season-opening loss to Atlanta. The Bulls have covered five straight overall and 11 of their last 14 as road dogs.