The Chicago Bulls survived a scare against the Washington Wizards on Saturday night, winning by one, and they’ll take on another struggling team in the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday.
New Orleans lost to the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday, and it’s just 2-15 in the 2025-26 season and has lost nine games in a row.
Zion Williamson did not play on Saturday, but he’s not on the injury report for Monday’s matchup.
The Pelicans have some intriguing young pieces in Derik Queen, Trey Murphy III and Jeremiah Fears, but it doesn’t look like it’ll be enough to even make the play-in tournament in the West.
Meanwhile, the Bulls are off to a strong start based on expectations behind some All-Star level play from Josh Giddey.
Let’s take a look at the odds, my favorite prop bet and a prediction for Monday’s contest.
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.
Spread
Moneyline
Total
Bulls Injury Report
Pelicans Injury Report
Bulls Best NBA Prop Bet
Josh Giddey has been awesome in the 2025-26 season, averaging 20.4 points, 10.1 rebounds and 9.7 assists per game while shooting 46.1 percent from the field and 38.6 percent from 3-point range.
Giddey has cleared 18.5 rebounds in four of his last five games since returning from an ankle injury, picking up 18 in the lone game he failed to hit this line. Overall, Giddey has nine games (out of 14) with 19 or more rebounds and assists.
Here’s a great bet against a New Orleans team that is 27th in defensive rating, 20th in opponent rebounds per game and 25th in opponent assists per game this season.
This line is a little shorter than I expected – likely because Zion Williamson is set to play – on Monday night.
Chicago has struggled on the road (3-5 straight up and against the spread), but I can’t pass up the Bulls at a two-possession spread against a New Orleans team that is just 2-15 this season and on a nine-game losing streak.
Plus, New Orleans is down its top defender in Herb Jones in this game.
The Bulls have fallen to 19th in the league in net rating (-2.4), but they are still well ahead of the Pelicans (-12.5), who are in 28th.
I’ll lay the points with Coby White back in the lineup for a Chicago offense that should be able to score at will against a New Orleans team that is allowing 121.4 points per game.
Pick: Bulls -5.5 (-112 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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