Bulls may get gored in Orlando

NBA betting players usually tune into the NBA on TNT every Thursday for their doubleheader, and this week, the action tips off in Orlando, where a red-hot Magic team will face the Chicago Bulls, who are in danger of falling out of the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference thanks to a slump.

Bulls vs Magic odds – Thursday, March 11, 8:00 PM ET

The Bulls (31-32) came out on the wrong end of a 132-108 shootout against Utah at home for their fifth loss in a row, and if the Bulls could get their offense and defense working at the same time, they would probably be the best team in the league. The Bulls got by early in the season on defense because their offense struggled, but now the offense is hot, but they can’t seem to stop anyone. Derrick Rose had 25 points and 13 assists, while Brad Miller added 20, but the Bulls were just 18-of-27 from the free-throw line, as opposed to 30-of-39 for the Jazz, and they were outrebounded 42-32.

The Magic (45-20) followed up their win over the Lakers on Sunday with a 113-87 dismantling of the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday, and Dwight Howard led six Orlando players in double figures with 22 points, while adding 15 boards. Jameer Nelson had 17 points, eight assists and five rebounds for the Magic, who nailed 11 three-pointers. The Magic has now won six in a row and they’re just five games behind Cleveland for the top seed in the Eastern Conference.

Bookmaker odds (bookmaker reviews) will definitely favor the Magic at home, where they are 26-6, while the Bulls are 12-19 on the road. The Magic have won eight of their last 10 overall against the Bulls, and four in a row in Orlando. These two had a pair of meetings this year in Chicago, with the Bulls winning 101-93 in the Windy City on January 2^nd, and then the Magic rolled to a 107-87 win over the Bulls on February 10^th. Luol Deng averaged 18.5 points and 8.0 boards for the Bulls, while Matt Barnes averaged 18.5 points for the Magic, who are getting into their stride right now and that’s bad news for the rest of the NBA. They’re even playing with an edge as they proved against the Lakers, and that could be the key to getting back to the NBA Finals. The Bulls need to get some consistency, and they’re also missing Joakim Noah, one of the league’s best rebounders. This means that Howard could have a field day in the post, and he’s averaging 18.0 points and 12.4 boards in his last five games. Go with the Orlando Magic and get in some NBA action before making playing the 2010 March Madness odds.