NBA Betting? Bucks vs Bulls Predictions
The Oddsmakers have not given Milwaukee much of a chance against the Bulls in this best-of-seven opening round matchup in this season’s NBA Playoffs, but you never know what can happen when two division rivals clash in a winner-take-all series.
NBA Basketball Odds
Milwaukee vs. Chicago
Series Odds: Milwaukee +500/ Chicago -700Series Schedule:
- Game 1 @CHI: 7 p.m. ET, Saturday (ESPN)
- Game 2 @CHI: 8 p.m. ET, Monday (TNT)
- Game 3 @MIL: 8 p.m. ET, April 23 (NBA TV)
- Game 4 @MIL: 5:30 p.m. ET, April 25 (TNT)
- Game 5 @CHI: TBD, April 27 (TBD)*
- Game 6 @MIL: TBD, April 30 (TBD)*
- Game 7 @CHI: TBD, May 2 (TNT)*
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Offensive Matchup
The Bucks will never be confused with some of the other offensive powers in the NBA. They are ranked 22nd in the league in scoring with 97.8 points per game and their leading scorer is Khris Middleton with an average of just 13.4 PPG. They are still one of the better shooting teams with a 45.9 field goal percentage that is ranked seventh in the league.
Chicago has the ability to light things up behind players like Jimmy Butler and Derrick Rose, but health issues across the board have plagued this team all season long. The Bulls ended the regular season ranked 15th in the league in scoring with 100.8 PPG, but they dropped to 22nd shooting the ball with a field goal percentage of 44.2.
Defensive Matchup
One of the main reasons that Milwaukee went from a top lottery pick last year to the sixth-best team in the East this season has been a defensive effort that is ranked eighth in the NBA in points allowed (97.4). The Bucks closed thing out on a strong note with three straight-up wins in their last four regular season games while holding their opponents to an average of 91.5 PPG.
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Chicago is another tough defensive team that was right behind the Bucks in points allowed this season; giving-up an average of 97.8 PPG. Behind players such as Joakim Noah and Pau Gasol, the Bulls were the third-best rebounding team in the league with an average of 45.7 boards a game. They closed down the season with four straight wins in which they gave up an average of just 89 PPG.
Betting Trends
The Bucks are 4-1 ATS in their last five division games, but they are just 1-5 ATS in their last six games in the opening round of the playoffs. The total has gone OVER in four of their last five games against a division opponent.
The Bulls are 6-2 ATS in their last eight home games against a team with a SU losing record on the road, but they fall to 1-4 ATS in their last five opening round playoff games. The total has stayed UNDER in seven of their last eight division games.
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Head-to-head in this matchup, the favorite has covered in five of the last six meetings and the total has stayed UNDER in the last four games. Chicago won three of this season’s four meetings both SU and ATS.
Prediction
Chicago is clearly the better team in this series, but the great equalizer is the overall health of the Bulls. They have a number of their top players battling through injuries at the worst time of the year which should extend this series a bit longer than the betting odds might suggest. Stick with Chicago to get the series win, but it is going to take six games to get it done.
Check out our Updated NBA Betting Odds.
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