Chicago Bulls vs Rockets Prediction 24 March 2026
🔊 Can the hosts ramp up the pace and showcase a strong offense? In this NBA regular-season clash, Chicago take on Houston. The Bulls are proponents of a high-tempo game, which often takes a toll on their defense. The visitors are capable of capitalizing on this. Especially since the Rockets need to regain their former self-confidence.
Head-to-Head
📊 The last encounter between these opponents took place on January 14th. Houston played at home and secured a victory with a score of 119-113. Moreover, the Rockets have outplayed Chicago in their last four head-to-head matchups consecutively.
Head-to-head statistics Chicago Bulls - Rockets

Chicago Bulls Team Overview
The hosts have no plans or hopes for the remainder of the season-they're already out of the top 10 in the Eastern Conference. Dropping further down the standings seems unlikely as well. So, the players are just padding their stats and enjoying the game of basketball. This doesn't always translate into victories. More often than not, it's the opposite. They recently fell to Cleveland with a score of 110-115. Before that, they suffered a complete collapse against Toronto (109-139).
The current setup in Chicago lacks any defensive prospects. The players' motivation seems to have dwindled as well. On average, they concede 120.4 points per game. Their strategy relies solely on offensive talent. The team shows promise on the perimeter, and their interactions are solid-thanks to Giddey, they generate a considerable number of assists (28.7). Facing Houston will be challenging, but the team isn't likely to adopt any other approach.
Match Results: Chicago Bulls

Houston Rockets Team Overview
Houston continue their battle to remain in the top four of the Western Conference. So far, they're holding on, but Denver and Minnesota are closing in from below. The Rockets can't afford a slip-up in the upcoming clash, especially after two recent setbacks against the Lakers (116-124, 92-100). They need to bounce back, possibly with a more open style of basketball. Despite their impressive defensive stats (allowing 109.1 points), they're facing a minor crisis.
Recently, Houston edged out Miami with a score of 123-122. This victory highlights the team's offensive potential, even with their notably slow pace. Kevin Durant is performing at his usual high level, and Alperen Sengun has returned. Their play in the opponent's half is becoming more varied and effective, offering numerous ways to break through Chicago's defense.
Match Results: Houston Rockets
Latest news
Chicago Bulls
⛔️ The hosts will be without Collins, Ivey, Okoro, and Simons. Smith is questionable.
📋 Projected lineup: Giddey, Sexton, Jones, Buzelis, Richards.
Houston Rockets
⛔️ The visitors cannot rely on Adams. VanVleet has been sidelined with an injury for the entire season.
📋 Projected lineup: Sheppard, Thompson, Durant, Smith Jr., Sengun.
Prediction for the 1st quarter
Head-to-Head Matches:
- Total encounters - 36;
- First quarter wins at home for the hosts - 13; for the visitors on the road - 6;
- Average total points in the first quarter: 51.61;
- Today's home team averages 25.58, while the visitors average 26.03.
First Quarter Stats: Chicago Bulls (home) vs Houston Rockets (away)
- Tournament matches played: 40 vs 37;
- Number of wins: 16 (40%) vs 22 (59.46%);
- Number of losses: 22 (55%) vs 13 (35.14%);
- Number of draws: 2 (5%) vs 2 (5.41%).
- Average points scored: 29.78 vs 28.57;
- Average points conceded: 30.83 vs 26.43.
Last 10 Matches (Overall):
- Number of wins: 2 vs 4;
- Number of losses: 7 vs 5;
- Number of draws: 1 vs 1;
- Average first quarter total: 53.7 (scored - 24.9, conceded - 28.8) vs 57.1 (scored - 27.8, conceded - 29.3).
- Houston Rockets scored under 28.5 points in the 1st quarter in 6 of last 7 away games against Chicago Bulls (NBA).
- Houston Rockets scored under 28.5 points in the 1st quarter in 10 of last 11 away games (NBA).
🏀 Three-Point Shooting
Chicago currently boasts an impressive three-point shooting percentage at 36.3%. They also take a significant number of shots from beyond the arc, averaging 40.2 attempts. However, their defense against this aspect is predictably poor, allowing opponents to shoot 36.8% from deep, one of the worst marks in the league.
The visiting team doesn't favor long-range shots, attempting only 30.8 per game. Despite this, their accuracy is remarkable at 36.4%. Defensively, they maintain a stable and acceptable performance, with opponents hitting just 35.1% of their three-point attempts.