Posted on 12/31/2007 3:36:38 PM

NBA Update – Can Young Bulls Regroup and Save Season?

By Eric Williams

While most NBA bettors can easily run off the names of many of the top ATS teams in the league, (Orlando, Boston, Detroit, Washington) the best ATS team to bet on these days may be the shockingly pathetic Chicago Bulls – a team many expected to compete for the eastern conference title coming into the 2007-08 season.

Now, after a totally appalling start to the regular season, amid incessant Kobe Bryant trade rumors, not to mention the recent firing of former head coach Scott Skiles, the Bulls are now a team in total disarray – and both, their straight up (SU) and against the spread, (ATS) records noticeably show it.

Currently, 10-17 SU and a dismal 8-19 ATS, the Bulls have failed to cover the spread in eight of their last 20 games, though they did cover at home against the equally atrocious Milwaukee Bucks on Friday while winning 103-99.

The Bulls are averaging a pitiful 91.9 points per game while allowing 96.7 to their opponents. Chicago is just 4-9 ATS at home and 4-10 ATS on the road. Chicago hasn’t been nearly a bad however in Over/Under wagers, checking in with a 13-14 mark that includes a decent 7-6 O/U mark at home and a 6-8 O/U record on the road.

Small forward Luol Deng leads the team in scoring, averaging 19.4 points per game with shooting guard Ben Gordon right behind, averaging 18.1 points per game.

Center Ben Wallace, once one of the league’s most fearsome rebounders, is averaging a paltry 8.4 boards per game, while both, Gordon and starting point guard Kirk Heinrich are shooting a putrid 38 percent from the field. Deng is the team’s best shooter at 48 percent.

In short, the Bulls have big problems – and ones that won’t be corrected any time soon, particularly with two assistant coaches sharing the head-coaching duties.

I believe the Bulls will continue to struggle, possibly all season long. However, if it seems the Bulls are starting to snap out of their funk, remember, this is still a team with plenty of talent.

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