Milwaukee Bucks at Chicago Bulls
Time: 8:05 PM ET
TV: FS Wisconsin / CSN Chicago; League Pass
Spread: CHI -7
Total: 193
Betting odds c/o Bovada
We won’t really get a look at what this Milwaukee Bucks team can be until next season.
Jabari Parker tore his ACL early in the season and won’t be back till next year.New acquisition and 2013-14 Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams will be unable to go for this one after sustaining a toe injury. The Bucks also just bought out the contract of Larry Sanders. With so many important talents detracted from its roster, the Bucks will have a tough time in Chicago as seven-point underdogs in live NBA lines, according to oddsmakers at Bovada.
The total for the game is set low at 193. To understand how this figure is bet on, check our NBA lines explained.
Milwaukee, despite being without Parker and Sanders for most of the year, has been very competitive. The Bucks are 31-24 and have won eight of its past 10 games to pull within just three games of No. 4 Cleveland for the right to host a first round series. The Bucks fell 97-86 to the best team in the East in Atlanta on Sunday (Feb 22) night, and the team may be a bit tired playing in Chicago a night later. But what has kept the Bucks competitive is the team’s effort and strong defense.
Milwaukee ranks 4th in the Association in team defense, allowing 96.9 points per game. The Bucks also have superb ball movement, ranking 7th in the NBA in assists per game despite having just the 20th highest scoring offense.
With Parker injured and Brandon Knight traded, Giannis Antetokounmpo has flourished with a bigger load. He had 19 points on 7 of 15 shooting in the loss to Atlanta, further stuffing the box score with four boards, a steal and two blocks. Khris Middleton did well in the backcourt, knocking down 6 of 12 to help offset Jared Dudley’s horrible 0 of 5 night shooting. What hurt Milwaukee was that even though it forced 20 Hawks’ turnovers, it committed another 24 on its own. Games can’t be won with those kind of turnover numbers. Keeping the figure manageable is an absolute must to pull an underdog victory over the Chicago Bulls tonight.
Chicago is 35-21 on the season and sits at 1st in the Central Division. Saturday (Feb 21) night the Bulls defeated Phoenix 112-107 at home, getting 22 points and 14 rebounds from Pau Gasol. Gasol hasn’t really been a surprise to most, but to those who were unaware that Mike “No D” D’Antoni was ruining the Spaniard’s career, maybe it is a surprise. Even so, he’s posted 18.4 points, 12.1 rebounds (2.9 offensive) and 2.47 blocks/steals per game. Gasol also posts the highest PER on the team (22.9).
The bigger surprise in Chicago may be the play of Jimmy “Buckets” Butler. The former Marquette star has emerged as a true All-Star indeed, and he is averaging 20.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. Despite being the Bulls go-to talent, Butler still only turns the ball over 1.5 times per game. That helps Chicago limit its team turnovers to 13.4 per game, while averaging 1.6 assists per turnover as a team.
The Bulls will be without Kirk Hinrich (illness), but Aaron Brooks should be able to step in fine. It may hurt on the defensive end some, however the Bulls will likely counter with a small lineup and make Milwaukee play to it. The Bucks could batter Chicago with Antetokounmpo taking advantage of smaller defenders, yet that isn’t taking into account that both Tony Snell and Jimmy Butler cover taller opposing players very well.
For the Bucks to win this game, it will require it to play tough and smart defense, while getting the benefits of some whistles. In other words, there is a good reason to agree with NBA oddsmakers that this game is Chicago’s to lose.
