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The Chicago Bulls will take on the Milwaukee Bucks to help kick off the first round of the NBA playoffs. It's time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Bulls-Bucks prediction and pick.
This should be one of the best series in the first round of the postseason. The Bulls looked like a legitimate threat to take the first seed in the Eastern Conference throughout the early days of the season, but injuries and mediocre play dropped them all the way to the sixth seed. Milwaukee also looked good enough to take the first seed in the conference, but their end-of-season push was too little too late. Now they'll face a dangerous Chicago team in what should be a hotly contested series.
Here are the Bulls-Bucks NBA Playoffs odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Playoffs Odds: Bulls-Bucks Odds
Chicago Bulls: +10 (-110)
Milwaukee Bucks: -10 (-110)
Over: 229 (-110)
Under: 229 (-110)
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Why The Bulls Could Cover The Spread
Chicago's offense will likely keep them in this game. The Bulls only average 111 points per game, but they shoot an insane 48% from the field, including a 37% shooting percentage from three-point range. That number will play a particularly big role in this game and this whole series, as the Bucks allow the most threes per game in the entire NBA. Milwaukee also allows their opponents to shoot nearly 36% from deep, making this an appealing matchup for a Chicago team that is capable of shooting the lights out.
Surprisingly, the Bucks haven't been great at covering the spread this season. Milwaukee is 39-43 against the spread on the year, with an even 32-32 record ATS when they enter the game as favorites. Chicago has been slightly better, earning a 42-39-1 mark against the spread. The Bucks have struggled to cover in games like this one all season long, and there's no reason to think that will change here. They face a double-digit spread and a Bulls team that was once the class of the Eastern Conference.
Why The Bucks Could Cover The Spread
The Bulls have been notoriously awful against playoff-caliber opponents. Chicago went an abysmal 3-15 in their matchups against the top four teams in the Eastern Conference, including a 0-4 record against Milwaukee. Of those four Bucks wins, two of them were by 21 or more points. Milwaukee has completely owned this Chicago team all season long, just like every other top-tier team. There's no reason to think that will change in a playoff atmosphere here.
The playoff atmosphere in Fiserv Forum should be electric. Every single seat will be full, something that has helped the Bucks throughout this season. Milwaukee went 27-14 at home this season, one of the better home records in the league. Meanwhile, the Bulls went 19-22 away from home this year, clearly showing that they prefer to play on their home floor. The Bucks should get a big boost from their hometown crowd to kick off the series.
Final Bulls-Bucks Prediction & Pick
It's just impossible to trust the Bulls here, even with a ten-point spread. The Bucks have dominated them all year, blowing them out the last two times they played. Milwaukee is also at home in this one. Lock in the Bucks and don't look back.
Final Bulls-Bucks Prediction & Pick: Milwaukee Bucks: -10 (-110)
