We have a Friday night Central Division showdown to look forward to this evening as the Milwaukee Bucks make the short trek over the state line to meet the Chicago Bulls. The game will tip off at 10 p.m. ET and will air on ESPN.
Milwaukee (39-21) is a perfect 4-0 since the All-Star break and last night came away with a 111-99 road victory over the Hornets. This game was never truly in doubt as the Bucks led the entire way and were up by as many as 25 at one point. Chicago (28-31) scored a big victory on Wednesday, taking down the red hot Cavaliers in a 132-123 double-overtime triumph. The Bulls jumped out on an 8-0 run in the second OT period and that was enough to survive that marathon at home.
On the injury front, Alex Caruso (hamstring) is listed as questionable for the Bulls. For the Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) is listed as probable while Khris Middleton (ankle) is still out.
Milwaukee enters the game as a 4.5-point favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook, accompanied by a total of 222. The Bucks are listed as a -192 moneyline favorite, making the Bulls a +160 underdog.
Bucks vs. Bulls, 1 p.m. ET
Pick ATS: Bucks -4.5
After struggling prior to the All-Star break, Milwaukee is starting to figure things out under Doc Rivers and has a chance to keep things rolling against a Chicago team that is the personification of middling. This same Bulls team lost to the Pistons earlier in the week and even though the Cavs victory was impressive, the outcome of a double OT game is basically a coin flip. The Bucks 5-5 against the spread when having no rest in between games, but I’ll take them to cover this evening.
Over/Under: Under 222
Milwaukee’s defense has been excellent during this win streak as it has held opponents to just 97.3 points per game on 40.5% shooting during that stretch. Meanwhile, Chicago has been in the middle of the pack offensively since the break and it has been abominable from three, shooting 28.4% from downtown. I can easily envision the Bulls having a tough time getting into a rhythm on offense and I believe that will lead to the under cashing.