The Milwaukee Bucks have been on a tear since their 2-8 start, winning 15 of their last 20 in a run that also netted the NBA Cup title. Two of Milwaukee’s victories over that span have come over the Chicago Bulls, whom the Bucks face again on Saturday night. Chicago is a 2.5-point underdog at FanDuel in the United Center.
Milwaukee has won two of three matchups with Chicago so far this season, prevailing 112-91 as a 2.5-point road underdog on Dec. 23, and 122-106 as a 9-point home favorite on Nov. 20. The Bulls’ victory over the Bucks came during Milwaukee’s horrid start, with Chicago winning 133-122 as a 9.5-point road underdog on Oct. 25.
Bucks vs Bulls Odds Today
Bucks vs Bulls, Dec. 28, 8:00 pm ET
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee Bucks | -2.5 (-108) | -142 | O229.5 (-110) |
| Chicago Bulls | +2.5 (-112) | +120 | U229.5 (-110) |
Odds as of Dec. 28 at FanDuel
Bucks vs Bulls Picks Today
Bulls +2.5 (-112) & UNDER 229.5 (-110) at FanDuel
Milwaukee’s ATS numbers on the season are completely colored by its 2-8 start, over which it covered just three times in its first 10 games. While the Bucks have been far better against the number since, they’re hardly a sure thing—they’ve gone 10-10 ATS over their last 20, though trending in a positive direction with covers in four of their last six.
Chicago has dropped three straight and four of its last eight overall, and has shown very little ATS consistency so far this season. After covering three straight into early December, the Bulls have beaten the spread just twice in their last eight. Chicago is 2-5 outright against Central Division opponents, having covered in just three of those games.
The big question for the Bucks is the health of its dynamic duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. The pair has missed three straight games (Lillard with a non-Covid illness and Antetokounmpo with back spasms) entering Saturday’s contest at Chicago. The Bucks have gone 2-1 over that span, but melted down in the final minutes Thursday at home against Brooklyn, and relying on backups is beginning to take a toll.
Milwaukee is among the more consistent UNDERS in the NBA this season, falling below the total nearly 57 percent of the time—tied for fourth-most in the league, per data at TeamRankings.com. Chicago has gone UNDER in five of seven, and with the Bucks’ big guns all questionable, the UNDER seems the reasonable play Saturday night.
Bucks vs Bulls News
Should he be unable to play Saturday, Antetokounmpo would leave a sizable absence for Milwaukee given that he’s averaging 32.7 points and 11.6 rebounds in three games against the Bulls this season. Chris Livingston and A.J. Johnson are also day-to-day for the Bucks with illnesses, while Josh Giddey (ankle), Ayo Dosunmu (Achilles) and Lonzo Ball and Matas Buzelis (illness) and all day-to-day for the Bulls.
Bucks vs Bulls Prop Bet Tonight
Bulls OVER 113.5 (-115) at bet365
Despite their penchant for going UNDER the game total, the Bulls have put up some ridiculous scoring numbers as of late—133 in a loss to Atlanta, 117 in a victory over Boston, 122 in a victory over Toronto and 109 in a victory over Charlotte. Going OVER this team total seems reasonable enough, especially if Milwaukee lacks its big shot-blocker in the middle.
Bucks vs Bulls Betting Trends
- Milwaukee is 6-7 ATS this season as a road team.
- Chicago is 6-9 ATS this season as a home team.
- Milwaukee is 5-3-1 ATS this season against Central Division opponents.
