In tonight's NBA action, the Los Angeles Clippers (19-23) face off against the Chicago Bulls (20-22) at the United Center in Chicago. Both teams have had middling seasons, but recent form and roster availability could be deciding factors in this contest. Here, I take a closer look at this matchup and give you my Clippers vs Bulls prediction in the NBA on Tuesday night.
Our Clippers vs Bulls Pick
Pick:
Bulls -3.5 ATS PRO
Confidence:
1/5
Game Snapshot
Matchup: Los Angeles Clippers @ Chicago Bulls
Date & Time: Tuesday, January 20, 2026, 8:00 PM ET
Venue: United Center, Chicago, Illinois
Broadcast: NBA League Pass
Key Storylines
The Clippers have won six straight games, with James Harden leading the charge. In their most recent win, Harden scored 36 points with nine assists in a 110-106 road victory over the Washington Wizards. Harden’s performance anchored that comeback and showcased his importance in crunch time. Meanwhile, Kawhi Leonard continues to be out due to a knee contusion, which limits Los Angeles’ offensive firepower but has not stopped the Clippers’ recent surge. Ivica Zubac’s double-double in the win over Washington illustrated the balance that this Clippers lineup can bring without Leonard on the floor. But this is the second game of a back-to-back for the Clippers here, which could hurt them.
For the Bulls, Sunday’s dominant 124-102 victory over Brooklyn highlighted Chicago’s potential when shooting efficiently and sharing the ball. Coby White led the charge with 24 points and seven three-pointers, while Nikola Vucevic and Tre Jones made strong contributions, combining for effective offensive production. Chicago’s offensive rebounding and assist numbers were also impressive in that win, suggesting the Bulls can control this game too if they can keep Zubac off the glass.
Injuries are shaping both rosters negatively right now. Los Angeles is missing Kawhi Leonard and others, but James Harden and Ivica Zubac remain focal points. Chicago is without Zach Collins, but Josh Giddey is listed as questionable after missing some time with a hamstring injury.
Head-to-Head & Betting Trends
The Clippers and Bulls are playing for the first time this season on Tuesday night.
Chicago enters this game with a 21-21 record against the spread.
The Clippers are 20-22 against the spread heading into this matchup.
The under is 22-20 in Clippers games this year.
Chicago has stayed under the total in 23 of their 42 games this year (54.8%).
Clippers vs Bulls Model Projection
Score Projection: Clippers 112 – Bulls 117 ATS PRO
Win Probability: Clippers 48%, Bulls 52% ATS PRO
Final Thoughts
The Bulls should have the upper hand in this inter-conference matchup in the NBA. The Clippers are on the second night of a back-to-back here and they are dealing with some major injury concerns on top of that. I'll lay the points with the Bulls here, as they could get a huge lift from the potential return of Josh Giddey in this matchup.
Jay Sanin is the GM and Head of Sports at ATS.io. He has been writing about sports gambling since 2013, handicapping tens of thousands of sporting events. He plays sides and totals aggressively across most sports and is more selective in player prop markets. He does his own modeling across most sports, and his family is jealous of how much time he spends on his precious spreadsheets.
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