Central Division rivals face off before the All-Star break when the Milwaukee Bucks meet the Chicago Bulls in the Association. Our Bucks vs. Bulls NBA picks are based on the best NBA odds.
The Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks will both be shorthanded Thursday when the teams face off in the Windy City. Chicago has lost five straight and may be without star DeMar DeRozan again. Milwaukee boasts an 11-game win streak, but key role players will be on the sidelines. Chicago won and covered in both prior matchups this season, but can they make it three in a row?
Here is our best Bucks vs. Bulls NBA pick (odds via Caesars Sportsbook; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
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Bucks vs. Bulls pick
Over the last tw o seasons (playoffs included), the Bucks and Bulls have gone 3-8 Over/Under when facing one another. We're expecting a similar outcome Thursday, despite the modest total.
The two meetings earlier in the season hit the Over, but the teams combined for 231 and 232 points in those games. One of those games required overtime to hit the Over, and DeRozan was masterful in both contests. DeRozan averaged 39 points, 7 rebounds, and 6.5 assists in two meetings with the Bucks, and there's a good chance he sits this one out.
The Bulls have a 113.8 offensive rating with DeRozan available, but when he's sidelined, that rating drops significantly to 108.6. Chicago has scored the fewest points in the Association over its last three contests, averaging just 97.7 in that span. Milwaukee scores the seventh fewest points per game on the road, and the best bet for Thursday's Central Division matchup is the Under.
Bucks vs. Bulls best odds
| DraftKings | FanDuel | BetMGM | Caesars | PointsBet |
| Under 229.5 | Under 229.5 | Under 229.5 | Under 230 | Under 229.5 |
| -110 | -110 | -110 | -110 | -110 |
The odds are the same for this wager across all of our major books, but we'll take the extra half point at Caesars. If the total of this game hits 230 at Caesars, we'll get a push, but if it hits that on any of the other books, we'll lose outright. That's why our best bet comes at Caesars.
Bucks vs. Bulls odds
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Bucks vs. Bulls odds analysis
The spread opened at Bulls +7.5, and it's held strong at that line. Chicago is 15-12-1 at home and 6-5-1 as the home underdog. The Bulls have gone 5-5-1 against Central Division opponents and 28-28-2 on the season overall. The team has lost five straight and failed to cover in all of them. Despite a pedestrian ATS record, Chicago has won and covered in both prior meetings with the Bucks this season. The Bucks are 9-5-2 ATS as the road favorite, 6-5 against divisional opponents and 31-23-3 overall. Milwaukee has won 11 straight and covered in four of the last five games.
The point total opened at a modest 230.5, and it has come down by a point. The Bulls are 6-5 against divisional opponents and 5-7 as the home underdog. Chicago has hit the Over in just two of its last nine contests. Milwaukee is 7-4 against the Central Division, 9-19 on the road and 5-11 as the road favorite. Neither team hits the Over at a high rate, but both prior meetings resulted in that outcome.
Bucks vs. Bulls game info
- Date: Thursday, Feb. 16, 7:30 p.m. ET.
- TV: TNT
- Location: United Center, Chicago, IL
Bucks-Bulls pick made 02/16/2023 at 11:25 a.m. ET.
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