The Milwaukee Bucks (16-13) travel to face off against the Chicago Bulls (13-18) on Saturday, December 28th. This game will be played at United Center in Chicago and televised on CHSN. Both the Bucks and Bulls will be looking to bounce back from losses in their previous games. Tip off is scheduled for 8:00 ET.

Bucks vs Bulls

The Bucks Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

The Bucks fell to 16-13 on the season after a 111-105 home loss to the Nets on Thursday. Milwaukee, favored by 6.5 points, not only lost the game but also failed to cover the spread. The total points of 216 exceeded the pre-game line of 205.5 by 10.5 points.

Milwaukee appeared to be in control after a strong 2nd quarter, where they outscored Brooklyn 34-24. However, they couldn’t hold onto their 82-76 lead going into the 4th, as the Nets dominated the final period, outscoring the Bucks 35-23.

The Bulls Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

The Bulls fell to 13-18 on the season after a 141-133 road loss to the Hawks on Thursday. Chicago, who entered the game as +5 point underdogs, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 274, well over the pre-game line of 241.5.

Chicago looked strong early, going on a 10-0 run to take the lead and finishing the 1st quarter up 33-21. They extended their lead to 108-91 after a 44-point 3rd quarter but were outscored 50-25 in the 4th, leading to the loss.

Bucks Offense Breakdown

Khris Middleton led the Bucks with 21 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds in their 111-105 loss to the Nets. He shot 61.5% from the field and hit 3 threes at 50%. Brook Lopez added 20 points, hitting 4 threes at 80% and shooting 66.7% overall.

The Bucks made 15 threes, shooting 39.5% from deep and 49.4% overall. Middleton scored 12 points in the 4th quarter, while Lopez had 13 in the 2nd. Bobby Portis contributed 6 points in each of the first 3 quarters, finishing with 18 points and 8 rebounds.

Bulls Offense Breakdown

Zach LaVine’s 22-point explosion in the 3rd quarter highlighted his 37-point performance, as he knocked down 7 threes at a 77.8% clip. Jevon Carter also hit 7 threes, scoring 19 of his 26 points in the opening quarter. Coby White contributed 23 points, making 5 threes at 62.5% efficiency.

The Bulls connected on 22 threes, shooting 51.2% from deep and 54.1% overall. LaVine added 7 assists, while White dished out 9 assists in the loss to the Hawks.

Bucks Team Defense

Defensively, the Bucks were solid through three quarters, limiting the Nets to 27, 24, and 25 points. However, they gave up 35 points in the 4th, leading to a 111-105 loss. Overall, Milwaukee allowed Brooklyn to shoot 47% from the field.

The Bucks struggled to defend the three, as the Nets hit 16 threes at a 42% clip. Milwaukee also sent Brooklyn to the line 22 times, where they made 17 free throws. The Bucks finished with 12 steals and 3 blocks.

Bulls Team Defense

Defensively, the Bucks held the Nets to 111 points, but a 35-point 4th quarter from Brooklyn proved costly. Milwaukee allowed 47% shooting overall, with the Nets hitting 16 threes at a 42% clip.

The Bucks sent the Nets to the line 22 times, where they made 17 free throws. Milwaukee grabbed 31 defensive rebounds, gave up 9 offensive boards, and recorded 12 steals and 3 blocks.

Bucks vs Bulls Trends

• When looking at their past five road matchups, Milwaukee has an ATS record of 3-2 while averaging 112 per game. The team went 3-2 overall in these games.
• Through their last five home contests, the Bulls offense has averaged 126 points per game while allowing an average of 125. Chicago posted an overall record of 3-2 while going 2-2-1 ATS.
• Going back to their previous five games as the underdog, Chicago has an ATS mark of 1-4 while going 1-4 straight up.
• In their last five games as the betting favorite, the Bucks have a straight up record of 4-1, while going 2-3 against the spread.

Bucks vs Bulls Prediction

When looking to get a point-spread pick down in this Bucks vs. Bulls game, our recommendation is to take the Bulls at +2.5. Despite our model showing the Bucks winning 141-139, we like Bulls as our point-spread pick.

Regarding the over/under, the current line is set at 229.5, and our model predicts the Bucks and Bulls to score a combined 280 points. We recommend betting on the over.

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All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

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* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.