Milwaukee Bucks vs Chicago Bulls Prediction and Betting Tips | Dec. 28, 2024

Teams looking to recover from tough losses clash in Saturday’s Milwaukee Bucks vs Chicago Bulls matchup. The Bucks, coming off a defeat to the Brooklyn Nets without Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, are determined to bounce back, while the Bulls are looking to rebound after one of their worst losses of the season to the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday.

In that game against the Hawks, the Bulls squandered a 21-point lead and gave up 50 points in the fourth quarter, ultimately losing 141-133, marking their third consecutive defeat. The Bucks, meanwhile, lost to the Nets by just six points, 111-105, but the close defeat still left the home crowd disappointed.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of the Milwaukee Bucks vs. Chicago Bulls game, which is set to tip off at 8 p.m. ET at the United Center in Chicago.

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Milwaukee Bucks vs Chicago Bulls Prediction, Preview and Odds

Moneyline: Bucks (-136) vs Bulls (+115)

Spread: Bucks -2.5 (-110) vs Bulls +2.5 (-110)

Total (O/U): Bucks o228.5 (-110) vs Bulls u228.5 (-110)

Editor's note: The odds could change close to the game. The odds listed were as per available information at the time of writing.

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Milwaukee Bucks vs Chicago Bulls preview

The Milwaukee Bucks have finally put their rough start to the season behind them. They won the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup and now sit fifth in the Eastern Conference standings with a 16-13 record. The Bucks have won six of their last 10 games, though they’ve struggled on the road, posting just a 5-8 record so far this season.

A key concern for the team in this game is the availability of their star players. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard and Khris Middleton are all listed as questionable on the injury report.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Bulls enter the game with a 13-18 record, placing them 10th in the East. Their season has been inconsistent, and while they’ve been better on the road (9-7) than at home (4-11), they are only half a game ahead of the improving Philadelphia 76ers.

With the trade deadline approaching, the Bulls will want to solidify their position and figure out their identity, as several of their players could become trade targets.

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Milwaukee Bucks vs Chicago Bulls predicted starting lineups

The Bucks' injury report includes AJ Johnson as out due to illness, while Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard are both listed as questionable with illness. Andre Jackson and Khris Middleton are also questionable, dealing with ankle injuries.

Meanwhile, the Bulls have Matas Buzelis, Jalen Smith and Lonzo Ball as questionable due to illness, with Josh Giddey also listed as questionable for an ankle issue. Ayo Dosunmu is questionable because of an Achilles injury.

Bucks

G - Damian Lillard | G - Andre Jackson Jr. | F - Khris Middleton | F - Giannis Antetokounmpo | C - Brook Lopez

Bulls

G - Josh Giddey | G - Zach LaVine | F - Dalen Terry | F - Patrick Williams | C - Nikola Vucevic

Editor's note: These are the predicted lineups and could change based on the availability of players.

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Milwaukee Bucks vs Chicago Bulls betting props

• Giannis Antetokounmpo to score over 30.5 points is -117 on Caesars. Expect him to exceed this total.
• Zach LaVine to score over 21.5 points is -125 on Caesars. He’s likely to clear this mark

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Milwaukee Bucks vs Chicago Bulls prediction

Once again, the availability of the Bucks' stars is a significant factor. If Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard and Khris Middleton are all available, expect a dominant win for the Bucks. However, if at least two of them are unavailable, the Bulls may be able to defend their home court.