Milwaukee Bucks vs Chicago Bulls Betting Pick & Prediction 12/23/24
At 8:00 ET, the Bulls (+102) will host the Bucks (-122) in a Central Division matchup. Milwaukee is currently 5th in the Eastern Conference with a 15-12 record, while Chicago is 9th in the East at 13-16.
Oddsmakers have the Bucks favored by 1.5 points, and the over/under line is set at 233.5. You can watch the game on CHSN.
MILWAUKEE BUCKS VS CHICAGO BULLS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Milwaukee Bucks -1.5
This game will be played at United Center at 8:00 ET on Monday, December 23rd.
WHY BET THE MILWAUKEE BUCKS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 142-140 in favor of the Bucks.
- Our projections have Giannis Antetokounmpo finishing with 30 points, 12 rebounds and 7 assists.
- From the field, we have the Bucks finishing with a field goal percentage of 47.7% and knocking down 17 threes.
Does Milwaukee Stand a Chance on the Road?
Milwaukee improved to 15-12 on the season with a 112-101 win over the Wizards on Saturday. Playing at home, the Bucks were favored by 8.5 points and covered the spread. The game’s total of 213 points fell short of the 218.5 O/U line.
A pivotal 14-0 run by Milwaukee turned the game in their favor, stretching the score from 48-44 to 62-44. They held the Wizards to just 14 points in the 2nd quarter, and although Washington outscored them 29-26 in the 4th, the Bucks’ lead was too much to overcome.
Bobby Portis led the Bucks to a win over the Wizards, scoring 34 points and hitting 6 threes at a 66.7% rate. He also added 10 rebounds and 8 assists. Khris Middleton contributed 18 points, making 4 threes at 66.7% efficiency.
The Bucks made 20 threes as a team, shooting 41.7% from deep, though their overall FG% was 44.9%. Portis scored 13 points in the 1st quarter and added 10 more in the 2nd.
Despite a rough start, the Bucks’ defense tightened up after the 1st quarter, where they allowed 36 points. They bounced back in the 2nd, giving up just 14 points, and continued their strong play in the 3rd, allowing 22 points. Milwaukee gave up 29 points in the 4th but still held the Wizards to 101 points overall.
The Bucks held Washington to 44% shooting but struggled to defend the three, where the Wizards hit 18 threes at a 42% clip. Milwaukee sent Washington to the line 16 times, where they made 11 free throws. The Bucks also recorded 12 steals and 2 blocks.
Do the Bulls Have a Shot at a Home Win?
Chicago dropped to 13-16 on the season after a 123-98 home loss to Boston on Saturday. The Bulls entered the game as +12 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 221, falling short of the 239.5 O/U line.
Boston took control with a 10-0 run, extending the score from 51-47 to 57-51. The Celtics outscored the Bulls 33-26 in the 2nd quarter, 32-23 in the 3rd, and 30-21 in the 4th.
The Bulls struggled offensively in their loss to the Celtics, shooting just 37.8% from the field. Their three-point shooting was below average at 34.1%, though they did hit 14 threes in the game.
Nikola Vucevic led the Bulls with 19 points and 10 rebounds, scoring 7 points in the 4th quarter. Zach LaVine, Patrick Williams, and Coby White each added 14 points, with LaVine hitting 4 threes at an 80% clip.
Defensively, the Bulls struggled against the Celtics, giving up 123 points while allowing Boston to shoot 48% from the field. Chicago allowed 28 points in the 1st quarter, followed by 33 in the 2nd, 32 in the 3rd, and 30 in the 4th.
Chicago did manage to limit Boston’s three-point shooting, holding them to 33% from beyond the arc with 15 made threes. The Bulls also sent the Celtics to the free-throw line 14 times, where they made 12 attempts. Defensively, Chicago recorded 8 steals and 4 blocks.