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Chicago Bulls vs Milwaukee Bucks December 28th 2024
At 8:00 ET, the Bulls (-137) will host the Bucks (+115) in a Central Division matchup. The Bucks are favored by 2.5 points and the over/under line is set at 229.5.
Chicago (13-18) is currently on a three-game losing streak and is 10th in the Eastern Conference. Milwaukee (16-13) is 5th in the East and 2nd in the Central Division.
Bucks vs. Bulls Key Information
- Sport: NBA
- Teams: Milwaukee Bucks at Chicago Bulls
- Where: Chicago at United Center
- Date: Saturday, December 28th
- Betting Odds MIL -2.5, MIL -137 | CHI +115 O/U 229.5
The Bucks Can Win If…
The Bucks fell to 16-13 on the season after a 111-105 loss to the Nets on Thursday. Milwaukee, who was favored by 6.5 points, not only lost the game but also failed to cover the spread. The total score of 216 points exceeded the pre-game over/under line of 205.5 by 10.5 points.
Milwaukee appeared to be in control after a strong 2nd quarter, outscoring the Nets 34-24. However, they let a 6-point lead slip away in the 4th quarter, where they were outscored 35-23.
Khris Middleton led the Bucks with 21 points and 5 assists in their 111-105 loss to the Nets, shooting 61.5% from the field and hitting 3 threes at 50%. Brook Lopez added 20 points, connecting on 4 threes at an 80% rate, while Bobby Portis contributed 18 points and 8 rebounds.
Milwaukee shot 49.4% from the field and 39.5% from deep, making 15 threes. Middleton scored 12 points in the 4th quarter, while Lopez had 13 in the 2nd. Gary Trent added 8 of his 14 points in the final period.
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Defensively, the Bucks were solid through three quarters, giving up just 27, 24, and 25 points. However, they allowed 35 points in the 4th, leading to a 111-105 loss to the Nets. 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 sent Brooklyn to the line 22 times, where they made 17 free throws. The Bucks finished with 12 steals and 3 blocks.
- Milwaukee has played well in their previous 5 road games, going 3-2 straight up. In this stretch, they averaged 112 points per game while allowing 109. The team also performed well vs the spread at 3-2.
- Against the spread, the Bucks have put together of 2-3 in their last five games as the betting favorite. In these same games, they went 4-1 straight up.
- Over their last three games, the Bucks have an over/under record of 1-2 and are 2-1 vs. the spread.
The Bulls Can Win If…
The Bulls dropped to 13-18 on the season after a 141-133 loss to the Hawks on Thursday. Chicago entered the game as +5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total score of 274 points exceeded the O/U line of 241.5 by 32.5 points.
Chicago looked strong early, going on a 10-0 run and leading 23-18 after trailing 18-13. They extended their lead to 108-91 after outscoring Atlanta in the 1st and 3rd quarters. However, the Bulls collapsed in the 4th, getting outscored 50-25.
Zach LaVine’s 37 points and 7 threes led the Bulls in their 141-133 loss to the Hawks, with LaVine hitting 22 points in the 3rd quarter. Jevon Carter also connected on 7 threes, finishing with 26 points, 19 of which came in the 1st quarter.
As a team, the Bulls hit 22 threes, shooting 51.2% from beyond the arc and 54.1% overall. Coby White added 23 points and 9 assists, making 5 threes at a 62.5% clip.
The Bulls started strong defensively, giving up just 21 points in the 1st quarter, but things unraveled as the game went on. They allowed 32 points in the 2nd quarter, 38 in the 3rd, and a whopping 50 in the 4th, leading to a 141-133 loss to the Hawks.
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Chicago couldn’t contain Atlanta’s offense, which shot 51% from the field. The Bulls also gave up 17 three-pointers on 37% shooting. The Hawks went to the line 34 times, making 32 free throws. The Bulls finished with 8 steals and 1 block.
- Through their last ten home games, Chicago has an ATS record of just 5-4-1. However, their overall record was 6-4 while averaging 123 points per game.
- Going back to their previous three games as the underdog, Chicago has an ATS mark of 1-2 while going 1-2 straight up.
- In their last three games, the Bulls have an over/under record of 0-3 and are 1-2 vs. the spread.
The Lean
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.
Right now, the over/under line for the game is sitting at 229.5 and given that our model is projecting 280 points between the teams, we like the over.
Bucks, Even Without Stars, Look for Another Win Against Bulls
The Chicago Bulls, stuck in a three-game losing streak, will host the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday for their second meeting in less than a week.
Bucks Persevere Through Injuries
Milwaukee dominated Chicago 112-91 on Monday, despite missing All-Stars Giannis Antetokounmpo (illness) and Damian Lillard (calf injury, illness). Brook Lopez and Khris Middleton stepped up, scoring 21 points each to fill the void.
Antetokounmpo and Lillard were also absent in Thursday’s 111-105 loss to the Brooklyn Nets. Despite the setbacks, Bobby Portis emphasized the need to stay focused.
“Ain’t no excuses,” Portis said. “We lost, they won, we move on Saturday. Get a win, feel good, go into Indiana (and) the new year. That’s it.”
The Bucks have had an up-and-down season, including a seven-game winning streak and a 2-8 start. Antetokounmpo leads the league with 32.7 points per game, while Lillard adds 25.7 points and 7.5 assists per contest. However, Milwaukee is only three games above .500 and has struggled offensively, ranking 16th in the NBA with 112.5 points per game — a noticeable drop from last season.
On the defensive end, the Bucks have shown improvement, allowing 111.2 points per game compared to 116.4 last season. Their defensive prowess was on display Monday when they held Chicago to 91 points on just 40 percent shooting and a dismal 20.8 percent from 3-point range.
Bulls Searching for Answers
Chicago enters the rematch averaging 117.7 points per game, the sixth-best mark in the league, powered by Zach LaVine (22.3 ppg), Nikola Vucevic (20.7), and Coby White (17.7). However, their defense has been a glaring weakness, ranking second-worst in the NBA while allowing 121.8 points per game.
The Bulls’ struggles were evident in Thursday’s 141-129 loss to Atlanta, where they surrendered 50 fourth-quarter points to blow a 17-point lead. LaVine, who scored a season-high 37 points, called out the team’s inability to close games.
“We’re going to have to look at that and figure out what we need to do to weather the storm,” LaVine said. “That just can’t happen. It’s unacceptable.”
Injury Updates
The Bulls may receive a boost with the potential return of swingman Josh Giddey, who has been sidelined for four games with an ankle injury. Giddey averages 11.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, and a team-high 6.9 assists per game.
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“A lot is going to depend on how he responds (after a workout Thursday) and then probably get another one in (on Friday),” Bulls coach Billy Donovan said about Giddey’s progress.
What’s at Stake
Milwaukee looks to rebound and solidify its standing before closing out the year against Indiana. Meanwhile, Chicago seeks to end its skid and tighten up defensively in a game that could set the tone for the rest of their season.
