Follow Us on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter VI Mobile College Basketball March Mayhem Picks College Basketball March Mayhem Picks VegasInsider.com VegasInsider.com
Handicapper Bios Sports Picks Free Odds Contests Sportsbook
Sports Betting Home NFL NBANHLMLBNCAA FBNCAA BKGolfAutoHorsesBoxingVI More Sports
 
NBA Scores Matchups Teams Standings Schedules Injuries News
 
 · Latest News
 · Player Updates
 · Transactions
Buy Picks Vegas Odds
 
 · Vegas Odds
 · Offshore Odds
 · Future Odds
 
Preview: Bulls (45-37) at Thunder (60-22)
BT Movements  ·  Line Movements
Date: February 24, 2013 9:30 PM EDT
  

Though its longest skid of the season is in the past, Oklahoma City is not entirely content with the way it has played of late, especially at the defensive end.

Based on their recent history against the Chicago Bulls, the Thunder might have a good chance to get back on track defensively in their next contest.

With each team looking to build on a much-needed victory, the Thunder try for a third consecutive win over the Bulls on Sunday night.

Oklahoma City (40-15) snapped a three-game slide with a 127-111 win over Minnesota on Friday. While the Thunder matched a season high for points and shot 57.8 percent, they also yielded at least 109 points for the fourth straight contest. They gave up an average of 88.5 while winning each of the previous four.

Advertisement

The Thunder are among the highest-scoring teams in the league, averaging 106.7 points, but they rank near the middle of the pack in giving up 98.0.

"Offensively, I don't think is our problem," said star Russell Westbrook, who had a season-high 37 points and nine of Oklahoma City's 28 assists Friday. "We've just got to find a way to continue to get stops."

The Timberwolves shot 53.5 percent in the first half before the Thunder held them to 42.9 percent over the final 24 minutes.

"We know we have 27 (regular-season) games to figure it out, so we just have to keep taking steps in those kind of situations and just get better," said Kevin Martin, who scored 19 off the bench.

"We have to get better. We know that. But we will."

The Thunder have held Chicago (32-23) to 93.1 points per game on 42.6 percent shooting while winning five of eight meetings since the franchise relocated from Seattle. The Bulls shot a season-low 33.0 percent during last season's 92-78 loss at Oklahoma City, their second straight road defeat in the series.

The Thunder shot 49.3 percent overall and outscored the Bulls 31-19 in the fourth quarter of a 97-91 victory at Chicago on Nov. 8.

The Bulls have dropped six of 10 overall since last winning consecutive games Jan. 28 and 30. Without injured star Derrick Rose, Chicago ranks near the bottom of the league averaging 92.9 points, but it hit 50.6 percent from the field in Friday's 105-75 win at Charlotte.

Taj Gibson's 17 points led eight players in double figures for the Bulls, who bounced back after posting a season-low point total in Thursday's 86-67 home loss to Miami. Chicago had six turnovers Friday after recording a season-high 27 against the Heat.

"It feels good just to get a win," Luol Deng told the Bulls' official website. "We've just got to keep it moving."

Deng, who has shot 50 percent or better in two of his last three games, went 11 of 21 from the field and finished with 27 points against the Thunder earlier this season.

Chicago hopes to have veteran guard Kirk Hinrich back after missing two straight games and nine of 10 with a nagging elbow issue.

It's also uncertain if swingman Ronnie Brewer will make his Thunder debut after being acquired from New York on Thursday. Brewer, who averaged 3.6 points in 46 games for the Knicks, spent the previous two seasons with Chicago.

AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Copyright 2013
The Associated Press
All Rights Reserved

 CURRENT LAS VEGAS LINE
 Team  ML   SPR   O/U 
 CHI  +400   +9.5   195 
 OKL  -500   -9.5   
LAS VEGAS LINE MOVEMENTS

 CURRENT SPORTSBOOK LINE
 Team  ML   SPR   O/U 
 CHI  +425   +9.5   195 
 OKL  -550   -9.5   
OFFSHORE LINE MOVEMENTS

 BETTING TRENDS
 Team  ML   SPR   O/U 
 CHI  35%   33%   59% 
 OKL  65%   67%   41% 
BT MOVEMENTS

 NBA HEAD TO HEAD
 Nov 8, 2012  Score  ATS Results 
  OKL « 97 Cover: 3.5 
  CHI 91 Under: 188 
 Tools:   Recaps
 Oct 23, 2012  Score  ATS Results 
  OKL 89 Cover: 0 
  CHI « 94 Under: 183 
 Tools:   Recaps
 Apr 1, 2012  Score  ATS Results 
  CHI 78 Under: 170 
  OKL « 92 Cover: 8 
 Tools:   Recaps

 NBA PREVIEWS
 Sunday, Feb 24
 
  •  Lakers at Mavericks
1:00 PM EDT
  •  Warriors at Timberwolves
3:35 PM EDT
  •  Cavaliers at Heat
6:05 PM EDT
  •  Kings at Hornets
6:05 PM EDT
  •  Grizzlies at Nets
7:05 PM EDT
  •  76ers at Knicks
7:05 PM EDT
  •  Spurs at Suns
8:05 PM EDT
  •  Celtics at Trail Blazers
9:05 PM EDT
  •  Bulls at Thunder
9:35 PM EDT
 
 
 
  
GOLD Membership
Over 150 Member Plays free each month. Signup Today!
 
 

NFL
NFL Sports Picks
NFL Vegas Odds
NFL Online Odds
NFL Matchups
NFL Scores

More Sports
Golf
Auto Racing
Horse Racing
Boxing
WNBA

MLB
MLB Sports Picks
MLB Vegas Odds
MLB Online Odds
MLB Matchups
MLB Scores

Features
Free Odds
Contests
Newsletters
VI Radio
Las Vegas Travel
Follow us on Twitter
Add us on Google+
Join us on Facebook

NBA
NBA Sports Picks
NBA Vegas Odds
NBA Online Odds
NBA Matchups
NBA Scores

Sports Betting Tools
Live Odds
Mobile Odds
Parlay Calculator
Gaming Terms
TV Listings
Handicapping Records
Sports Betting
About Sports Betting
Sportsbook Reviews

NHL
NHL Sports Picks
NHL Vegas Odds
NHL Online Odds
NHL Matchups
NHL Scores

VegasInsider Info
About Us
Help Center
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use
Refund Policy
Contact Us
User Feedback

College Football
NCAA FB Sports Picks
NCAA FB Vegas Odds
NCAA FB Online Odds
NCAA FB Matchups
NCAA FB Scores

Sportsbooks
CarbonSports · Review
SportBet · Review
Sportsbook · Review
TopBet.eu · Review

College Basketball
NCAA BK Sports Picks
NCAA BK Vegas Odds
NCAA BK Online Odds
NCAA BK Matchups
NCAA BK Scores

Rotation Schedules
Baseball: Mar 31 - June 02

Copyright © 1997-2013, VegasInsider.com Inc., The Global Leader In Sports Gaming Information. All rights reserved.
For questions or comments, please contact us at 1-800-211-4759.