Bulls vs. Lakers Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Thursday, March 12

Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers have won three games in a row and have their sights set on the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference down the stretch of the regular season.

L.A. is a massive favorite on Thursday against the Chicago Bulls, who are just 11-20 on the road and have gone in the tank since the trade deadline. Chicago did knock off the short-handed Golden State Warriors on Tuesday, but it has a much tougher test on the road against L.A..

LeBron James has been dealing with multiple ailments that have cost him the last three games, and he’s listed as questionable for Thursday’s matchup. Doncic, Austin Reaves and company have stayed afloat without LeBron this season, going 14-7 in the 21 games that the four-time champion has missed.

After both the Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves played on Wednesday, L.A. needs a win to keep gaining ground in the Western Conference standings. Even though the Lakers have an average net rating, they remain one of the most dangerous teams in the conference because of their high-level offensive talent.

Will that be enough for them to cover against the tanking Bulls?

Let’s examine the latest betting odds, a player prop and my prediction for Thursday’s matchup.

Bulls vs. Lakers Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Spread

Bulls +11.5 (-118)
Lakers -11.5 (-102)

Moneyline

Bulls: +400
Lakers: -535

Total

238.5 (Over -112/Under -108)

Bulls vs. Lakers How to Watch

Date: Thursday, March 11
Time: 10:30 p.m. EST
Venue: Crypto.com Arena
How to Watch (TV): CHSN, Spectrum Sportsnet
Bulls record: 27-38
Lakers record: 40-25

Bulls vs. Lakers Injury Reports

Bulls Injury Report

Josh Giddey – probable
Matas Buzelis – probable
Zach Collins – out
Noa Essengue – out
Jaden Ivey – out
Mac McClung – out
Isaac Okoro – questionable
Collin Sexton – questionable
Anfernee Simons – out
Jalen Smith – probable
Patrick Williams – questionable
Guerschon Yabusele – questionable

Lakers Injury Report

LeBron James – questionable
Jaxson Hayes – probable
Marcus Smart – doubtful
Maxi Kleber – questionable

Bulls vs. Lakers Best NBA Prop Bet

Lakers Best NBA Prop Bet

Luka Doncic OVER 7.5 Rebounds (-118)

Luka has eight or more boards in five games in a row and seven of his last 10, pushing his season average to 7.9 rebounds per game.

While this isn’t the flashiest prop to take on Thursday, the Lakers guard does have a favorable matchup against a Bulls team that is 19th in rebound percentage over its last 10 games. Chicago is also 22nd in the league in opponent rebounds per game.

Doncic has eight or more boards in 27 of his 53 games overall this season, averaging 11.9 rebound chances per game. His rebound chances have jumped to 14.3 per game over his last five matchups. I’ll buy him to keep this streak going on Thursday.

Bulls vs. Lakers Prediction and Pick

Earlier today, I shared in my NBA Best Bets column – Peter’s Points – why I like the Lakers in this matchup:

The Los Angeles Lakers are rolling right now winning three games in a row while improving to 10-2 when Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves play without LeBron James.

James is questionable on Thursday, but I think this is a prime spot to back the Lakers to win – and to cover if you want to go that route – against the Chicago Bulls.

I’m taking the Lakers in a two-pick moneyline parlay with the red-hot Miami Heat, but there is a case for them to cover as well.

L.A. is 15-7 against the spread when favored at home (the fourth-best mark in the NBA), and it is ninth in the league in net rating over its last 10 games (+7.0). The Bulls, on the other hand, have gone in the tank since the trade deadline and are 25th in net rating (-9.1) over their last 15 games.

Chicago has the worst offense in the NBA during that stretch, and that’s going to be a problem against a Lakers team that is eighth overall in offensive rating this season.

The No. 4 seed in the West, the Lakers have pulled off some nice wins over Minnesota and New York recently,and they should make quick work of a Bulls team that is joining many of the tankers across the NBA.

Pick: Lakers -11.5 (-102 at DraftKings)

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.

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