Milwaukee Bucks vs. Chicago Bulls: Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 12/28/2022

Time: 8 p.m. ET

Venue: United Center, Chicago, IL

Where to watch: NBCSCH, BSWI

DraftKings: Bucks -4.5; Bucks -190, Bulls +160

FanDuel: Bucks -4.5; Bucks -190, Bulls +160

BetMGM: Bucks -4.5; Bucks -190, Bulls +155

Caesars: Bucks -4.5; Bucks -196, Bulls +162

Bucks: 22-11

Bulls: 14-19

Definitely not a fun time for the Milwaukee Bucks right now. Not only do they have their arguably second best player out indefinitely with a knee injury, Milwaukee has completely forgotten how to play defense and as a result has lost three in a row while being underdogs in all three period to make matters worse for Milwaukee, these three losses were against arguably the best three teams in the Eastern Conference. Those losses were by 8 to Cleveland, 18 to Brooklyn, and 21 to Boston. You cannot stress the importance that someone like Khris Middleton brings to this team from a perimeter defense standpoint. While it would be understandable for Giannis Antetokounmpo should just take over and be the eater of worlds that I think everyone knows that he can be, it's even hard for Superman to defeat all the kryptonite. The 1139-118 loss to Boston was the perfect way to encapsulate just how far Milwaukee is without one of their best perimeter defenders. Giannis Had 27 points and nine rebounds, but also took 22 shots to get there. Jrue Holiday had 23 points and seven assists on eight of 14 shooting, but outside of those two, Milwaukee didn't get a whole lot from the scoring department. Meanwhile, Jayson Tatum l went on for 41 points to once again heightened just how important Middleton is to the overall psyche of this defense. Or I could just be crazy and have no idea what I'm talking about, but it is becoming a serious situation.

I'm not quite sure if the sky is falling yet for the Chicago Bulls, because they just won three games in a row and everything looks so harmonious. But then they go ahead and lose to the Houston Rockets by 15 points last night and somehow we as the analysts and we as the predictors of these games are the problem. But the Rockets are without question not up to par is where Chicago should be. But Chicago is not that great of a team right now either as evidence of their defensive identity completely falling apart against Houston. The Rockets shot 56% from the floor and 39% from 3 point range to give you the kind of idea that Chicago was dealing with a menace the other night. DeMar DeRozan had 31 points and nine assists, and Zach LaVine had 22 points in 19 shots. Chicago is capable of making shots no matter where on the floor. Hence why they got DeRozan the way that they did. Chicago is going to need more from its star players in order to have a shot against the likes of whomever they're facing. But at the end of the day, the bulls should be a much better team than they are and the fact that they are not this late into the evening is a whole other situation in its entirety.

 

Not that I don't want to believe in what Chicago can do in this instance, but even with 1/3 of the dynamic trio, Milwaukee is still a much better team than Chicago. And if they have to spray it into the heavens in order for people to believe it then so be it. Bucks 110, Bulls 100

Bucks are 24-12 ATS as a road favorite the last 2 seasons.

Bucks are 39-20 ATS off 3 straight road losses since 1996.

Bulls are 44-27 ATS after a non-conference game the last 3 seasons.

PG: Jrue Holiday

SG: Grayson Allen

SF: Pat Connaughton

PF: Giannis Anteokounmpo

C: Brook Lopez

PG: Alex Caruso

SG: Zach LaVine

SF: DeMar DeRozan

PF: Patrick Williams

C: Nikola Vucevic

Bucks: Khris Middleton (out)

Bulls; Lonzo Ball (out)