The Milwaukee Bucks (38-25 SU, 27-36 ATS) head to the United Center on Friday to take on the Chicago Bulls (39-24, 36-26-1) in a battle between two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. The Bucks will look to win their third straight contest while the Bulls will try to end a three-game losing skid. Can Milwaukee emerge victorious over a struggling Chicago squad? Find out in our Bucks vs Bulls prediction.
Bucks vs Bulls Odds & Analysis
Sportsbook Odds
The Bucks opened as a 2-point favorite on the road with the total set at 238 points. The OVER is 9-1 in Milwaukee’s last 10 games, but you’ve got to think that it’ll be hard for the two clubs to hit the OVER with their combined total score at 226 points per game this season. Milwaukee has dominated this matchup, going 9-1 SU over the last 10 meetings – perhaps a sign of things to come in your Bucks vs Bulls prediction.
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Bucks Building Momentum After All-Star Break
The Bucks picked up an impressive comeback victory on Wednesday as they defeated the Miami Heat 120-119. Milwaukee was down by 14 midway through the fourth quarter but a crucial three-pointer by Khris Middleton brought them within one point with under 20 seconds to play.
Jrue Holiday ended up getting the last shot of the game, sinking a layup with just 1.9 seconds on the clock as the Bucks stole the game from the Heat. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the team with 28 points and added 17 rebounds for a double-double.
Milwaukee went into the all-star break on a poor run of form, going 1-3 over its previous four games. Since the break, they’re 2-1 and looking to win their third straight contest while averaging a whopping 124.3 points per game over that span.
George Hill (neck) is questionable for Friday.
Bulls Look To Snap Three-Game Losing Streak
The Bulls lost their third straight game on Thursday as they fell 130-124 to the Atlanta Hawks. Trae Young had another sensational game, dropping 39 points and 13 assists to lead the Hawks. DeMar DeRozan (22 points), Zach LaVine (22 points) and Nikola Vucevic (21 points) each scored 20-plus for the Bulls but it wasn’t enough as their defense let them down.
Chicago hasn’t been terrific defensively this season, giving up 110.5 points per game (18th), but the Bulls have taken a step back since the break, surrendering 116.5 points over their last four games.
Lonzo Ball (knee) and Alex Caruso (wrist) are both ramping up activity but remain out.
Bucks vs Bulls Pick & Insights
Bucks: Keys To Cover
Milwaukee has been shooting the lights out since the all-star break and will be coming up against a Chicago team that has struggled in its own half of the court. Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis have both been hot of late, averaging 31.6 and 19.3 points per game, respectively, over their last 10 outings. Expect them to have big nights.
Bulls: Keys To Cover
Chicago has two choices: try to outscore Milwaukee or try to tighten up a bit defensively. Based on how things have been going, it seems like the Bulls will try to play to their strengths and run up the score, but when you’re going up against a stacked team like the Bucks, that isn’t always the best option. Assuming that Milwaukee keeps scoring in bunches, Chicago will need monster performances from DeRozan and LaVine to keep pace.
Odds Shark’s Computer Bucks vs Bulls Prediction: Bulls +3.5
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