Bill Yin breaks down his prediction and pick for tonight’s game between the Chicago Bulls and Indiana Pacers.

The 29-46 Bulls will host the 17-58 Pacers tonight at 8 PM EST. The Pacers have listed Pascal Siakam, Jalen Slawson, and Obi Toppin as Probable. They’ll be without Andrew Nembhard, T.J. McConnell, and Aaron Nesmith. The Bulls have listed Josh Giddey and Nick Richards as Questionable, with Anfernee Simons and Jalen Smith as Out.

The Bulls are 3.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook with the total for this game set at 248.5 points.

Bulls vs. Pacers prediction, preview

Chicago still has enough backcourt creation to make this matchup attractive, even with the Bulls limping in on a four-game skid. That is, if Josh Giddey plays. The offensive shape is pretty clear. Giddey remains the engine with 17.2 PPG, 8.4 RPG and 9.2 APG, Tre Jones gives them another creator, and Matas Buzelis has become one of the more interesting swing pieces on the roster. He recently exploded for 29 points and 10 boards against Memphis a few nights ago, and he has averaged three made treys over the last 10 games. Chicago is still a good paint team too, ranking fourth in the East in points in the paint at 52.3 per game, which fits the way Giddey and Jones pressure the lane. The problem is the other end. ESPN has the Bulls allowing 121.1 PPG on the season, and over their last 10 they have been outscored 128.8 to 120.9 per game. Yikes. They are also thin up front, with Nick Richards’ status in doubt. This team can still score in bunches when the ball moves, but the defensive slippage is a major issue that will continue to plague them through next season as well.

Indiana’s made the best out of a horrible situation without Tyrese Haliburton this season. They’ll look to return next season to compete again in the East. The Pacers just got a much needed lift from Pascal Siakam in their 135-118 win over Miami, where he posted 30 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. The issue tonight is availability and roster stability. They’ll be without Andrew Nembhard, who has dazzled lately with a five game stretch during which he averaged 16 PPG and 12 APG with just 1.8 TO. He’s Indiana’s premier playmaker right now, and without him, Siakam will be tasked with the point-forward creation. This is unfortunate considering this team already plays from a fragile base: the Pacers are 17-58, allowing 120.6 PPG on the season, and over the last 10 they have allowed 125.0 per game. Even so, there is still a recognizable offensive style when they have enough creators on the floor.

Bulls vs. Pacers pick, best Bet

Best Bet: IND Pacers +3.5 (-102)

The Pacers, despite their record, have dominated this specific matchup all season, winning three straight games against the Bulls. I’m counting on them to overachieve again against them tonight, and the spread is pretty attractive considering Giddey’s status being up in the air.