Rockets vs Chicago Bulls Prediction 14 January 2026

Houston's current stats aren't exactly stellar. The team has suffered defeats in 4 out of their last 5 games, recently falling to Sacramento (98-111). Despite this, by many metrics, Houston still ranks among the league leaders in shooting efficiency, both overall and from beyond the arc. Clearly, there's always a chance for them to get back on track in each game. Especially with Sengun and Durant taking the court, they could make an impact against Chicago.

We can likely expect a relatively fast-paced game. Chicago tends to execute their possessions quickly, and the Rockets definitely need to sort out their offensive play, currently averaging 119.4 points. Given one of the tournament's weakest defenses, reaching such a figure seems more than achievable.

Chicago are likely to continue playing their trademark style of basketball-fast-paced and heavily focused on offense. This approach recently helped them secure a win against Dallas with a score of 125-107. However, there are occasional lapses, some of which are quite significant, as evidenced by their heavy defeat to Minnesota at 101-136. Nevertheless, the Bulls have no alternative in terms of style. They will stick to their game plan, which will almost certainly lead to a high number of attempts overall.

The team are once again playing without Giddey. Additionally, White is getting some rest. But against Houston, it's clear that nothing will change conceptually. The team concede an average of 121.6 points per game. Given that the opponent is highly motivated, it's unrealistic to expect an unexpected defensive performance from Chicago.