The Chicago Bulls may not win the NBA championship in 2021, but they are sure to be an intriguing team to watch.
In August, Arturas Karnisovas, the new vice president of basketball operations, quickly made win-now decisions by adding Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan through sign-and-trade deals with the Pelicans and Spurs.
Furthermore, Karnisovas signed defensive standout Alex Caruso from the Lakers on a four-year, $37 million deal. With the addition of All-Star center Nikola Vucevic before the trade deadline, Chicago is poised to compete for a win today.
It’s a breath of fresh air considering the Bulls’ recent lack of success. They haven’t seen postseason action since 2017, and even then, they only managed to finish at .500.
Chicago seems to have a strong enough lineup to break the trend on paper. However, what do the odds for the Chicago Bulls indicate?
The sports betting markets in Here & rsquo are favoring the Bulls for the 2021-2022 season.
Illinois casinos have chances of 2021 – 22 for the Chicago Bulls.
The Bulls’ odds of winning the championship at the Illinois-based DraftKings Sportsbook improved from +10,000 to +7,000 as free agency began.
Here are the title odds for Chicago as listed on all six online sportsbooks in Illinois:
| DraftKings Sportsbook | +7,000 |
| FanDuel Sportsbook | +7,000 |
| PointsBet Sportsbook | +7,500 |
| BetRivers Sportsbook | +8,000 |
| Barstool | +8,000 |
| William Hill’s Caesars | +8,000 |
Despite the additions of Ball, DeRozan, and Caruso, the Bulls’ title odds of 70/1 (at best) remain a considerable long shot.
Chicago has a better chance of reaching the quarterfinals. PointsBet and BetRivers are offering odds on the Bulls’ likelihood of achieving this goal.
- PointsBet: Bulls advance to the playoffs(- 140 ), but they fall short (+ 110 ).
- According to BetRivers, the Bulls have odds of -134 to make the playoffs but odds of -105 to lose.
The Bulls have a plethora of offensive weapons, potentially adding Ball and DeRozan to a starting lineup already featuring Vucevic, Patrick Williams, and Zach LaVine. Additionally, Billy Donovan is a skilled coach.
However, security could be a different story. Williams, at 20 years old, will likely bear a heavy defensive burden as LaVine, DeRozan, and Vucevic are not known for their defensive prowess.
That being said, Chicago ranked 12th in defensive efficiency and 17th in offense last season. While the Bulls may feel the absence of Thaddeus Young, the departure of other key defensive players is not a major concern.
In Donovan’s last three seasons in Oklahoma City, his defenses consistently ranked in the top 10 despite changing personnel. The Bulls are banking on Donovan’s ability to continue this trend while also improving their offensive performance with their talented roster. Chicago had difficulties in close games last season and their point differential indicates they should have had a better record than 31-41.
While everything you mentioned is great, it seems that the Eastern Conference is stronger than it has been in a while. This means that the Bulls may not have an easy path to the finals, which is a significant consideration.
Some may argue that the Knicks should be competing at a playoff level alongside the Nets, Bucks, 76ers, Celtics, and Hawks. With only seven spots available for the playoffs, there is fierce competition among these teams.
Is it legal to wager on the NBA Summer League in Illinois?
Yes, you can place bets on the NBA Summer League through Illinois-based online casinos.
Each casino currently has odds posted for the upcoming Bulls vs. Grizzlies game on Sunday, with the Bulls being favored at 1 – 2.
Several intriguing Chicago players are also participating in the Summer League, including Williams and second-round pick Ayo Dosunmu, who impressed while playing for the Illinois Fighting Illini last season.
Illinois residents are now allowed to place bets on Dosunmu after being previously prohibited from doing so because of the state’s in-state collegiate betting laws and the Illini’s extraordinary season.
The Summer League finals will commence on August 16. Five years ago, the Bulls emerged victorious in the finals with the help of Denzel Valentine’s courageous performance.
On the other hand, Chicago fans prefer the team to play 50 games in the 2021-2022 season. This presents a rare opportunity that hasn’t been seen in years.
