I took the WIZARDS +170 to win the series. I feel like part of the reason Chicago has been successful this season is that they play with more effort than their opponents. In the playoffs their opponents will be matching their effort so I think their edge will be diminished in that respect. The Wizards were 2-1 this year against the Bulls and the loss came in a bad spot where they were playing the second night of a back to back while also returning home from a road trip. Also in that game Trevor Ariza was playing with an illness and Nene was out with an injury. The Bulls are an elite defense team but I put on my whistle and grabbed my clipboard and after a little digging I found they aren't exactly elite when it comes to defending in transition which is an area of strength for the Wizards. This quote from Bull's coach Tom Thibodeau following a loss to the Wizards this season confirms my thinking about the match-up:
The Wizards are a young unproven team while the Chicago Bulls are a well known commodity which is another reason why I think we are getting value at this price. I think the Bulls should be a smaller favorite and +170 is too high.
OFFICIAL RECOMMENDATION: WIZARDS +170