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NBA Betting: Atlanta Hawks Season Long Handicapping 10/27/2025 vs. Chicago Bulls

by Spencer Toth - 10/27/2025

NBA betting Atlanta Hawks season long handicapping Josh Giddey Chicago Bulls

All season long, Doc’s Sports will be breaking down every Atlanta Hawks game while providing best bets along the way. Just as we have in four consecutive seasons, following a single team all year while combining in-depth knowledge of the league as a whole is an excellent way to generate a consistent profit. 

Doc’s Sports offers NBA expert picks for every game on our NBA predictions page.

On Friday night, the Hawks won their first game of the season, taking down the Orlando Magic 111-107. Atlanta trailed by double digits early in the fourth quarter before storming back for a crucial comeback victory. Kristaps Porzingis was out with the flu, while Zaccharrie Risacher also missed the game, giving Nickeil Alexander-Walker his first start in a Hawks uniform. Alexander-Walker scored 19 points, while Trae Young scored a team-high 25 while adding 6 assists. However, the real hero of the night was Mouhamed Gueye off the bench, who had a +21 plus/minus in 30 minutes of action. It was a well-rounded team effort for the Hawks, who flexed their depth by beating a strong Orlando team while missing two of their starters. 

From a betting perspective, we went 1-2. We took Orlando to win and cover the -6.5 point spread, and also tailed Over 235.5 points. Both of those fell short, but we did improve to 3-1 on player props this season as Wendell Carter Jr. surpassed his 15.5 Points+Rebounds line on Friday. 

The Hawks then went home to welcome the Oklahoma City Thunder on the second night of a back-to-back, and fell to 1-2 with the 117-100 defeat. Chet Holmgren and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 and 30 points, respectively, as the banged-up and fatigued Hawks couldn’t keep up with the defending champions. A loss to the Thunder can be forgiven, especially given the circumstances, but the reality is the Hawks cannot afford to dig themselves a big hole to climb out of in the early portion of the season. 

Atlanta (1-2) has a chance to get back on track tonight when they visit Chicago to take on the Bulls (2-0). This is the first game in a four-game road trip, and the Hawks will be playing desperate basketball in Chicago. Porzingis, Risacher, and Jalen Johnson are all listed as questionable on the injury report, which leaves Atlanta shorthanded against the red-hot Bulls. Porzingis has been sick, and he is unlikely to play, but Risacher and Johnson are both trending upwards as tip-off inches closer. 

Chicago was expected to be one of the worst teams in the league this season, but they have already surpassed expectations through the first week of the year. They beat the Pistons and Magic so far this year, both of whom are expected to be playoff teams at the end of the season. Josh Giddey and Nikola Vucevic lead the way in Chicago, as their depth has been their strength so far this year. They have run a 10-man rotation with all ten players getting at least ten minutes per game, which has allowed them to stay active on the defensive end of the floor. The sample size is small, but the Bulls have the best defensive rating in the early stage of the season, and will look to slow down Atlanta whenever possible. Vucevic has improved his footwork on the inside over the offseason, and his ability to maintain body position against driving guards has been crucial to their success. Trae Young will look to drive into the paint early and often tonight, and will once again be the primary facilitator as the Hawks' other ball handlers aren’t guaranteed to play. 

One player who needs to step up tonight is Dyson Daniels. The DPOY runner-up from last season continues to be a menace on the defensive end of the floor, but that isn’t good enough to play consistent minutes in the modern-day NBA. Daniels has scored 18 points in three games this season, and it is not as if he has been particularly cold on the offensive end of the floor. He is shooting 41% from the field and 50% from deep, but he isn’t getting the volume he needs to be effective. He passes up open shots more than he should, and Daniels needs to stay involved on both ends to play up to his potential. His lack of offense is even more harmful when a trio of scorers is out for the Hawks. Atlanta has been hurting without Porzingis and Risacher to put up 20+ PPG, and Daniels hasn’t stepped up to replace that scoring.

These two teams are no strangers to one another, as the Bulls and Hawks have found themselves in the play-in tournament together more often than not. Atlanta was expected to take the next step this year, but it has been the Bulls that have gotten off to a hot start. Josh Giddey is questionable tonight, but I expect him to play and have no choice but to side with the Bulls if that is the case. Chicago’s willingness to defend is something the Hawks are missing. NBA games are won by playing hard on both ends of the court, not just trying to fill the hoop with highlight reel shots. Atlanta will happily turn this game into a shootout, but I expect the Bulls to play hard defense and slow things down when possible at home. The looming injuries for both teams will certainly play a role, but based on how things are trending, taking the Bulls' moneyline as +105 home underdogs is the way to go.
For the second pick, and today’s top play, we will be taking Under 241.5 points. Both teams have fallen short of this lofty total in back-to-back games, and even an uptick in pace of play won’t be enough to see this line surpassed. Chicago has been playing excellent defense this year, and the Hawks aren’t as lethal on the offensive end this season. New faces and a lack of offensive chemistry make the Hawks' offense easy to fade, since the oddsmakers still expect a fast-paced, efficient offense like we saw last year. 

Pick: Chicago Bulls Moneyline +105 2 Units

Pick: Bulls vs Hawks Under 241.5 3 Units

 

2025-26 Season Record:
Moneyline: 0-0

Spread: 1-1

Total: 0-1

Player Props: 3-1

Overall: 4-3
Total Units: Down 2.9 Units

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