Bodog Beat

Do you have your money on the Bulls? (AP Images)

Currently the Eastern Conference’s No. 8 seed, the Chicago Bulls will hope to secure a playoff spot by playing eight of their final 11 games at home, a stretch that starts tonight against the shorthanded Detroit Pistons.

A favorable schedule down the stretch should help the Bulls. Only two of their final 11 opponents have winning records, and both of those games are at home.

Just two games ahead of Chicago in seventh place are the Pistons, who have gone 7-14 since Feb. 8 to leave open the possibility that they’ll miss the playoffs for the first time since 2001.

Detroit has lost four of its last five, all by five points or fewer.

Arron Afflalo will likely start again with Richard Hamilton doubtful, but Rodney Stuckey may be the key for Detroit. He had a career-high 40 points in the Pistons’ 104-98 home win over the Bulls on Dec. 23. Get all your NBA basketball odds in the Bodog Sportsbook today.