Filip Tomic
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We have an all-Eastern Conference showdown in Milwaukee tonight as the Chicago Bulls face off with the defending champion Bucks. You can catch that game live on ESPN at 8:00 pm ET. I’ve prepared a same-game parlay which you can find below.
We also got you covered with predictions on the side and total on all 11 games this Friday, but let’s not waste any more time and focus on the Bulls and Bucks!
Under 227.5 total points (-110)
DeMar DeRozan to score 30+ points (+154)
Nikola Vucevic to record 4+ assists (+112)
Parlay odds: +1116
Under 227.5 total points (-110)
In the last 10 meetings between these teams, the total has trended towards the under with 7 games cashing on that bet. Chicago has struggled to score in those 10 games, averaging just 104.6 points per game while shooting 41% from the field. I can’t see that number improving by much tonight with so many players being out. Chicago relies a ton of 3-point shooting — they lead the league in percentage this season — however they could struggle against a Bucks team that ranks 5th in defending the perimeter. The under has cashed 5 times in the last 7 Bucks games overall and in 6 of their last 8 against Central Division opponents. The same goes for the Bulls with 13 of their last 17 games against Central Division teams cashing on the under. The Bucks should win this one thanks to a solid defensive effort, and I’d recommend backing the under.
Check out our full game preview for Chicago Bulls vs Milwaukee Bucks
DeMar DeRozan to score 30+ points (+154)
Zach LaVine and Lonzo Ball are worth 35 points per game for the Bulls, which leaves a big hole in the offensive production and someone will need to step up to compensate. Enter DeMar DeRozan, who has been Chicago’s best player this season and was even in the MVP conversation not too long ago when the Bulls were on a 9-game win streak. DeRozan has been lethal on the road this season, averaging 27.2 points per game on almost 50% shooting from the field and a really good 44% from 3-point land, a shot he normally struggles with. He’s coming off a 30-point performance against the Cavaliers, and we’ll need to get used to him dropping 30 a night in the next few games with LaVine and Ball out of the picture. In his last 7 games against Milwaukee he has scored 25 or more points 5 times and he’s already had a 52-point game against them when he was with the Raptors.
Nikola Vucevic to record 4+ assists (+112)
Chicago’s offense is mostly predicated on the 3-point shot this season and they lead the NBA in percentage from the perimeter. Chicago averages 38.8% makes from downtown, and on the road they are even better at 39.7%. In the game against Cleveland they were able to make 45.5% of their shots and Vucevic dished out 3 assists. He is averaging 3.5 per game in January and in his last 6 games he has notched 4 or more 3 times. With LaVine and Ball out, he will get plenty of more touches, so I expect him to feed the shooters a bit more than usual. Going up against Giannis in the paint won’t be easy, and I think he will opt to get everyone else involved more instead.
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