NBA
Chicago Bulls vs Washington Wizards Preview: Odds, Tips and Prediction
The Washington Wizards and the Chicago Bulls will go toe-to-toe on the court in Washington, D.C., on New Year’s Day.
Zaccharie Risacher drives against Patrick Williams//Getty Images
On New Year's Day, the Washington Wizards and the Chicago Bulls will go toe-to-toe on the court in Washington, D.C. This Eastern Conference matchup will see the current ninth seed the Bulls take on the bottom seed the Wizards. The Bulls are close to producing a consistent playoff push, but the Wizards are slowly formulating wins despite only a collective five inside the first 29 games.
With this preview, SportsBoom explores their rivalry further, examining their previous head-to-head records, both teams’ respective seasons, and our valued bets.
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Match Details: Chicago Bulls vs Washington Wizards
Date: Wednesday 1st January 2025
Start time: 7 pm local time (12 am BST)
Venue: Capital One Arena, Washington DC
Last meeting: November 26, 2024, Chicago Bulls 127-108 Washington Wizards
Pre-Game Odds and Win Probability
Chicago Bulls: 5/10 (1.50) – 66.7%
Washington Wizards: 9/5 (2.80) – 35.7%
Forecast Odds – Betting available on Stake closer to event
Head-to-Head Record
This Eastern Conference match has taken place before in 244 regular season games. The Chicago Bulls have produced 134 wins over the years, whereas the Washington Wizards picked up 110 wins.
In their last five meetings, the Bulls have posted four wins, with the only defeat lost in a one-possession game scenario in the 2023/24 NBA season. The Bulls may have the edge in the head-to-head, but their recent record sees them dominant in the recent stats.
Last Five Matches
| Season | Date | Result |
| 2024/25 Season | November 26, 2024 | Chicago Bulls 127-108 Washington Wizards |
| 2023/24 Season | April 12, 2024 | Chicago Bulls 129-127 Washington Wizards |
| 2023/24 Season | March 25, 2024 | Washington Wizards 107-105 Chicago Bulls |
| 2023/24 Season | March 16, 2024 | Chicago Bulls 127-98 Washington Wizards |
| 2022/23 Season | February 26, 2023 | Chicago Bulls 102-98 Washington Wizards |
How is the season so far for both teams?
Chicago Bulls
- Record: 14-18
- Home Form: 5-11
- Road Form: 9-7
The Chicago Bulls remain in ninth place in the East, the same position the organization secured in the previous 2023/24 campaign. As the regular season quickly approaches its halfway point, the Eastern Conference is proving extremely close. The Bulls need to find form and formulate a consistent run to make a playoff appearance later in the season.
Despite struggling at home this season with a 5-11 record, they’ve made up for it on the road by winning nine games. Zach LaVine is the Bulls’ leading scorer with a 22 points-per-game average. After injury struggles in the previous campaign, he hasn’t been able to match his previous best statistics but is still a primal threat on offense.
However, seasoned veteran Nikola Vucevic leads the team with an average of 20.7 points per game and 9.9 rebounds. He made history in a recent game against the Bucks, tallying over 16,000 points and 800 threes, and became the second person to do so. His form as of late sees him in demand before the trade deadline closes, but the 34-year-old shows no sign of regressing, considering he is a seasoned veteran in the league.
Washington Wizards
- Record: 5-24
- Home Form: 4-12
- Road Form: 1-12
The Washington Wizards have the worst record in the Eastern Conference and one of the worst in the entire NBA. Their roster has only produced five wins in 29 attempts. Four wins came at home matches, but they now have the joint-worst home record with the New Orleans Pelicans and Toronto Raptors.
Former Golden State Warriors first-rounder Jordan Poole has been the glue to the team’s offensive structure, as the 25-year-old star is posting an average of 21.3 points per game. It is his best record within the NBA thus far, but the results haven’t arrived. He picked up a recent injury by suffering from a left hip contusion, which could likely mean he is absent for this game.
Jordan Poole//Getty Images
Their primary shooting guard, Frenchman Bilal Coulibaly, the organization’s 2023 first-round selection, has played a pivotal role on the roster. In his second season, he has been included in the regular starting five on 27 occasions and has significantly upped the game in points, rebounds and assists. At the age of just 20, he is posting figures of 13.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists, all stats that are helping the Wizards remain as competitive as possible given their record.
Value Bets
Zach LaVine Over 25 Points: SportsBoom predicts LaVine will be the key shooter for this game. Given the struggles of the Wizards in defense, the Bulls will aim to capitalise and look like a team in danger. Vucevic (who we also think is a value bet below) and LaVine are at the forefront, and we predict over 25 points made for the shooting guard. In four of his previous nine encounters, he has posted over 30 points against the Indiana Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks. These teams are in strong contention for the play-offs, so he will likely produce the goods against the struggling Wizards.
Nikola Vucevic: Over 15 Points and Over 10 Rebounds: Considering the trade rumours, Vucevic’s form is one of the most significant talking points in the NBA right now. The two-time NBA All-Star is producing impressive numbers this season. His most recent five-game stretch has seen four double-doubles in points and rebounds, with 15 points or higher on each occasion. In his recent game against the Milwaukee Bucks, the Montenegrin basketball player scored 23 points and successfully posted 13 rebounds in a history-making game.
Prediction: Chicago Bulls to Win
SportsBoom predicts a relatively comfort win for the Chicago Bulls on New Year’s Day. Everything points to this consensus – greater player statistics, a stronger roster, and a more favourable head-to-head record. It appears to be the Bulls to lose. The standings give the Bulls the upper hand. Still, once the roster irons out inconsistencies and results, they could maintain an impressive play-off challenger later in the regular season.
Henry Cheal is a versatile freelance sports journalist with extensive experience in the industry. Henry has previously worked at the 2024 World Snooker Championship and earned a Multimedia Sports Journalism degree from UCFB in 2023.
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