NBA Live Game Preview: Thunder vs Bulls
Published January 9, 2017 by Sol FH
A highlight matchup in the NBA tips-off tonight at 1:00 GMT between the Oklahoma Thunder and the Chicago Bulls.
Tonight will mark the first game of the 2016/17 regular season between the Thunder and the Bulls. This will be the first look the Bulls get at a Kevin Durant-less Thunder team and this will be a very important matchup between the two. Russell Westbrook is the leagues leading scorer and is averaging a triple-double each game, but both the Thunder and the Bulls are only in seventh place in their respective conference. The Bulls swept the Thunder in last season's two-game series, so revenge will be on the minds of Oklahoma.
Russell Westbrook is one of the favorites to win the NBA's MVP race this year. He is coming off his 17th triple-double of the season after lifting the Thunder to a 121-106 win over the Nuggets, but the Bulls present a different intensity and more skill than Denver does. For Chicago, Jimmy Butler has been on a hot streak and may very well get into the MVP talks and following a huge 42-point performance against the second place Toronto Raptors, winning in OT 123-118.
The Bulls have got many weapons on the court including Dwayne Wade, but Butler is taking over the leader position and his teammates are backing him, "“You can see it. He wants it. So many guys have talent. The mentality it takes, even if you’re having a bad game — like (in) Cleveland, he wasn’t shooting well — to still be able to do it in the clutch. That’s special. He’s putting himself in the category of special," related Wade in a recent interview.
NBA Betting Markets
bet365 Sports is offering bettors attractive pre game and live in play odds. The Bulls are favorites to win tonight at 1.80, but the Thunder are right on their heels at 2.05. The game will be streamed live at bet365 Sports for registered members and the action with live in play interactive bets will be exciting.
