Atlanta arrives in Chicago rested and healthier than its opponent, facing a Bulls team that is 1-9, winless at home and missing two of its most important players.
Quick take:
- Pick: Hawks -6.5 (still worth a look at 7.5 where it is posted)
- Why: Chicago ranks last in the NBA in points allowed, and Atlanta has had three days off.
- The number to watch: The Bulls are giving up 128.8 points per game, the worst mark in the league.
The Atlanta Hawks (7-5) visit the Chicago Bulls (1-9) on Friday night, November 13, at the United Center, with tip-off set for 8:00 PM ET. The Hawks sit fourth in the Eastern Conference and are 4-2 on the road. The Bulls are 14th in the East, 0-4 at home and have lost eight straight.
Chicago’s week has gone from bad to worse. The Bulls blew a 22-point halftime lead to San Antonio on Wednesday and lost 124-119, and rookie Caleb Wilson fractured his right hand in that game. Atlanta last played on Monday, a 124-114 Lakers victory, and it has had three days off since.
Hawks Are Road Favorites Against the League’s Worst Defense
The market has made its view plain. Most books list Atlanta as a 6.5 to 7.5-point favorite, with the moneyline roughly -260 to -275 on the Hawks and +215 to +250 on the Bulls, and a game total between 244.5 and 245.5. A line this big reflects the gap between a team with a positive scoring margin and one with the worst scoring margin in the league.
| Friday, November 13 at 8:10 PM | Spread | Money | Total |
| Atlanta Hawks | 
-7.5 (-103) | 
-275 | 
O 246 (-110) |
| Chicago Bulls | 
+7.5 (-120) |
+235 |
U 245.5 (-110) |
Recent Form
The recent results tell the story: Atlanta won four straight before the Lakers loss, while Chicago has lost eight in a row, most of them by double digits.
| DATE | OPP | CLOSE | RESULT | ATS/OU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 10, 2026 | Los Angeles Lakers | -6.5 / 242.5 | Lost 114-124 | Lost / Under |
| Nov 8, 2026 | Brooklyn Nets | +1.5 / 235.5 | Won 124-121 | Won / Over |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Washington Wizards | -11.5 / 229.5 | Won 139-132 | Lost / Over |
| Nov 5, 2026 | @Washington Wizards | +2.5 / 233.5 | Won 105-120 | Won / Under |
| Nov 3, 2026 | @Indiana Pacers | -18.5 / 235.5 | Won 104-108 | Lost / Under |
| Oct 31, 2026 | @New Orleans Pelicans | -4.5 / 236.5 | Lost 121-99 | Lost / Under |
| Oct 30, 2026 | Cleveland Cavaliers | +2.5 / 236.5 | Won 114-111 | Won / Under |
| Oct 28, 2026 | Miami Heat | -3.5 / 241.5 | Lost 117-129 | Lost / Over |
| Oct 27, 2026 | @Houston Rockets | +4.5 / 238.5 | Lost 120-110 | Lost / Under |
| Oct 25, 2026 | Houston Rockets | +3.5 / 226.5 | Lost 114-121 | Lost / Over |
| DATE | OPP | CLOSE | RESULT | ATS/OU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 12, 2026 | San Antonio Spurs | +15.5 / 243.5 | Lost 119-124 | Won / Under |
| Nov 8, 2026 | Philadelphia 76ers | +9.5 / 243.5 | Lost 121-127 | Won / Over |
| Nov 5, 2026 | @New York Knicks | +26.5 / 242.5 | Lost 135-105 | Lost / Under |
| Nov 3, 2026 | @Philadelphia 76ers | +11.5 / 235.5 | Lost 126-107 | Lost / Under |
| Oct 30, 2026 | @Boston Celtics | +25.5 / 249.5 | Lost 125-111 | Won / Under |
| Oct 29, 2026 | New York Knicks | +7.5 / 236.5 | Lost 127-133 | Won / Over |
| Oct 26, 2026 | @Boston Celtics | +17.5 / 240.5 | Lost 134-99 | Lost / Under |
| Oct 25, 2026 | Washington Wizards | -2.5 / 245.5 | Lost 120-124 | Lost / Under |
| Oct 23, 2026 | @Milwaukee Bucks | +1.5 / 246.5 | Won 125-132 | Won / Over |
| Oct 21, 2026 | @Toronto Raptors | +21.5 / 245.5 | Lost 135-92 | Lost / Under |
Showing 10 of last 10 meetings
| DATE | TEAM | OPP | CLOSE | RESULT | ATS/OU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 16, 2025 | Chicago Bulls | @Atlanta Hawks | -6.5 / 235.5 | Lost 94-110 | Lost / Under |
| Dec 27, 2024 | Atlanta Hawks | @Chicago Bulls | -4.5 / 241.5 | Won 141-133 | Won / Over |
| Nov 23, 2024 | Chicago Bulls | @Atlanta Hawks | +1.5 / 246.5 | Won 136-122 | Won / Over |
| Nov 10, 2024 | Atlanta Hawks | @Chicago Bulls | -2.5 / 241.5 | Lost 113-125 | Lost / Under |
| Apr 2, 2024 | Chicago Bulls | @Atlanta Hawks | -2 / 221 | Lost 101-113 | Lost / Under |
| Feb 13, 2024 | Atlanta Hawks | @Chicago Bulls | -5 / 240.5 | Lost 126-136 | Lost / Over |
| Dec 27, 2023 | Chicago Bulls | @Atlanta Hawks | +2.5 / 237.5 | Won 118-113 | Won / Under |
| Apr 5, 2023 | Chicago Bulls | @Atlanta Hawks | -5.5 / 227.5 | Lost 105-123 | Lost / Over |
| Jan 24, 2023 | Chicago Bulls | @Atlanta Hawks | -2 / 240 | Won 111-100 | Won / Under |
| Dec 22, 2022 | Atlanta Hawks | @Chicago Bulls | -5 / 236 | Lost 108-110 | Lost / Under |
Why the Bulls Cannot Stop Anybody
Chicago scores 113.3 points per game, 16th in the league, but allows 128.8, which is last. That adds up to a scoring margin of minus 15.5 per game. The Bulls shoot just 28.9 percent from three, 30th in the NBA, while opponents hit 39.4 percent against them, and Chicago is outrebounded by 4.6 per game. Add 19 turnovers against San Antonio on Wednesday, and it is easy to see how a lead that big disappeared.
Atlanta’s profile is the opposite on offense. The Hawks score 118.3 points per game, fifth in the league, and make 15.3 threes a night, fifth-most in the NBA. Nickeil Alexander-Walker leads the way with 21.9 points and 3.9 made threes per game. Jalen Johnson is filling the box score with 19.2 points, 8.6 rebounds and 7.2 assists. Aaron Wiggins adds 14.9 points and Onyeka Okongwu gives them 13.7 points and 8.1 rebounds inside, with CJ McCollum chipping in 13.6.
Chicago has allowed 128.8 points per game, and it has not yet won a game at the United Center.
The Bulls are thin, too. Wilson, who was averaging 18.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.8 steals, had surgery and is expected to miss at least four to six weeks. Tobe Awaka is out with a back issue. Norman Powell, the team’s leading scorer at 19.3 points per game, is day-to-day with a shoulder problem and will be re-evaluated before tip-off. Without them, the offense falls to Josh Giddey, who averages 8.3 assists but shoots 28.6 percent from three, and to Matas Buzelis at 13.5 points per game.
Atlanta has its own injury list. Henri Veesaar is out for the season with a torn ACL, and Asa Newell, Keshon Gilbert and Mouhamed Gueye are also out. Those are mostly rotation pieces, and the core of the team is intact. Anyone betting this game through a sportsbook offer such as the DraftKings promo code should check the injury news before tip-off, since Powell’s status could nudge the number.
There is a case for Chicago. Atlanta’s defense is ordinary, allowing 116.2 points per game, which ranks 22nd, and a team that makes threes in bunches can stay close. The Bulls did hit 10 threes in a half on Wednesday. The live NBA odds have moved between 6.5 and 7.5 as the Powell news came in, so the number is not asking a lot of the favorite.
That said, the Bulls have to play 48 minutes to win, and they have not done it at home yet.
Prediction and Best Bet
The Hawks should win this game comfortably. They are rested, they score efficiently, and they face the only defense in the league giving up more than 128 points a night. Chicago can make it interesting if Powell plays and the threes fall early, but this team has not held up through a full game at home all season, and the injuries make a comeback from that hole harder.
The pick:
- Prediction: Hawks 126, Bulls 114
- Best Bet: Hawks -6.5
Take the shorter number if you can find it, because a 12-point margin clears both 6.5 and 7.5 with room to spare.
