The Chicago Bulls are one of the best defensive teams in the league. On Thursday night, they visit the Denver Nuggets, which is one of the worst teams on that end.

The Bulls, which are on a five-game winning streak, are the second best team in the league in defense, limiting the opposition to just 94.0 points per game. The Nuggets want to snap a two-game skid and need to improve their D, which gives up 105.9 points per outing—the third worst in the NBA.

While they are exact opposites on defense, both teams are tops in crashing the boards. Denver ranks third overall in rebounds per game (46.7) while Chicago is just right behind them at fourth at 45.9.

In their most recent game, where they led practically the entire time, the Nuggets held a nine-point lead entering the fourth quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder. They lost it all when their defense did not hold up in the final canto as Denver allowed OKC to score 31 points in the fourth and lost 115-113.

Meanwhile, the Bulls' five-game win streak put a premium on defense. They held their opponents in that stretch to just 81.8 points.

On offense, Chicago relies on the triumvirate of Luol Deng (16.9 PPG, 6.4 RPG and 3.7 APG), Carlos Boozer (16.3 PPG and 9.0 RPG) and Derrick Rose (15.0 PPG and 4.5 APG).

For Denver, they go to Ty Lawson (22.0 PPG, 4.4 RPG and 8.6 APG), Wilson Chandler (13.3 PPG and 3.8 RPG) and Kenneth Faried (10.3 PPG and 9.0 RPG).

The Nuggets won both meetings in the teams' two meetings last season.

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Betting Against the Spread (ATS)

Chicago Bulls Trends
 - Bulls are 4-1 ATS in their last five games
- Bulls are 5-1 ATS in their last six games vs. West teams
- Bulls are 4-10 ATS in their last 14 games vs. Northwest division teams
- Bulls are 5-12 ATS in their last 17 games after a win
- Bulls are 1-4 ATS in their last five games after an ATS loss

Denver Nuggets Trends
 - Nuggets are 4-1 ATS in their last five games
- Nuggets are 2-6 ATS in their last eight games at home
- Nuggets are 1-4 ATS in their last five games vs. East teams
- Nuggets are 17-6 ATS in their last 23 game vs. Central division teams
- Nuggets are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games after a loss