Bulls vs. Pacers Prediction, Odds, Players to Watch for NBA Summer League

The Pacers are favored in their Summer League matchup on Monday.

Indiana Pacers guard RayJ Dennis had 26 points in his Summer League opener this year. / David Richard-Imagn Images

The Chicago Bulls have suffered a pair of blowout losses to open up the Las Vegas Summer League, and they find themselves as underdogs on Monday evening against the Indiana Pacers.

The 2025-26 season is going to be a strange one for Indiana, as Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles) is expected to miss the entire campaign, and center Myles Turner left the franchise in free agency to join the Milwaukee Bucks. Right after making the NBA Finals in the 2024-25 campaign, the Pacers could be looking for some young developmental pieces to help them in what may be a down 2025-26 season.

Well, Indiana didn’t have a first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, but it did win one of its two games at Summer League so far, knocking off the Cleveland Cavaliers on July 10.

Rookie Kam Jones and second-year wing Johnny Furphy are part of a roster that features some two-way players from last season in RayJ Dennis, Quenton Jackson, Enrique Freeman, and others. 

Meanwhile, the Bulls have their last two first-round picks – Matas Buzelis and Noa Essengue – headlining their roster. Can Chicago finally play a close game in Las Vegas? 

Here’s a breakdown of the odds, players to watch and my prediction for Monday's action.  

Bulls vs. Pacers Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread

• Bulls +4.5 (-110)
• Pacers -4.5 (-110)

Moneyline

• Bulls: +164
• Pacers: -198

Total

• 187.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Bulls vs. Pacers How to Watch

• Date: Monday, July 14
• Time: 6:00 p.m. EST
• Venue: Cox Pavilion
• How to Watch (TV): ESPNU/ESPN+
• Bulls record: 0-2
• Pacers record: 1-1

Bulls vs. Pacers Key Players to Watch

Chicago Bulls

• Matas Buzelis

Buzelis has only played in one of Chicago’s two games so far in Summer League, but he had a strong showing in that matchup, scoring 17 points to go with five rebounds.

A lottery pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Buzelis is viewed as one of the core pieces for Chicago as it aims to turn around the franchise and return to the playoffs in the 2025-26 season. If he plays on Monday, he’s certainly a player to keep an eye on. 

Indiana Pacers

• RayJ Dennis

Last season, Dennis was on a two-way deal for the Pacers, and there’s a chance he could make his way onto the roster this season with the team thinner at guard now that Haliburton is out. 

Dennis had a massive showing in the win over Cleveland on July 10, scoring 26 points while dishing out nine assists. He was efficient in the game as well, shooting 8-for-16 from the field and 4-for-8 from 3. 

He’s one of the more intriguing players on this Indiana roster this summer. 

Bulls vs. Pacers Prediction and Pick

Note: Before betting on NBA Summer League, it’s important to know that rotations are fluid and predicting player performance is volatile. As an avid NBA bettor, I suggest only placing small wagers for fun on these games since they are often hard to predict. 

It’s really hard to trust the Bulls in this game, as they’ve been blown out by 44 points (against Toronto) and 17 points (against Sacramento) to open the summer.

Chicago has some talent on the roster, but if Buzelis ends up sitting – or playing limited minutes – there isn’t nearly as much upside for Chicago.

Meanwhile, Indiana has an interesting group of former second-round picks or two-way players that are fighting for the limited roster spots in the NBA in the 2025-26 season. Sometimes, that’s a better combo in Summer League, especially when the players have NBA experience.

The Pacers haven’t been great this summer – they beat Cleveland by one and lost to OKC by 19 – but they have outperformed Chicago to this point. 

Unless the Bulls drastically flip the script on their minus-61 point differential, I think Indiana is the bet to make on Monday. 

Pick: Pacers -4.5 (-110 at DraftKings)

---

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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

Are you new to DraftKings? Sign up today and place a $5 bet to earn $150 in bonus bets. Regardless of the outcome of your wager, DraftKings will add six $25 bonus bet tokens to your new account instantly.