Denver Nuggets vs Chicago Bulls Prediction, Odds and Picks for Today, 02/07/26

Fresh off the trade deadline, the Chicago Bulls will host the Denver Nuggets Saturday night. The Bulls currently sit in the 10th and final spot in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. They revamped their roster by adding Jaden Ivey and Anfernee Simons, hoping that it helps propel the team over the hump. Both Ivey and Simons had reduced minutes with their previous teams, and will be asked to do a lot more after joining Chicago. Both players logged over 32 minutes in the Bulls last loss against the Toronto Raptors, the highest total number of minutes for each player all season. They will need to rely on the new pair again tonight with Josh Giddey sitting out with an injury, and Coby White now gone after being included in the trade package. The Nuggets recently got center Nikola Jokic back from an injury, but the former MVP is listed as questionable tonight and will likely miss this game as he works his way back to 100%. Good news for the Nuggets is that they have displayed they can still win without Jokic in the lineup. Denver went 10-6 in the games played without Jokic this season, and maintained to keep hold of their positioning in the Western Conference. Jamal Murray will look to lead the Nuggets tonight after scoring 39 points in Denver’s last game. Murray scored 34 points the last time these two teams faced off. I like the Nuggets tonight even if Jokic does not play. I believe the Bulls are asking a lot out of Ivey and Simons, and that the moves will eventually drop Chicago out of the play-in tournament. Denver has shown their depth this season, and they can certainly rally around Murray if Jokic does not play. 

Nuggets -5.5 is available at the time of publishing. Playable at that number.