2022 NBA Playoffs Preview: Milwaukee Bucks vs Chicago Bulls Predictions, Picks and Odds

NBA Playoffs Preview: Milwaukee Bucks vs Chicago Bulls Prediction and Betting Preview

SportsMemo handicapper JM Sports gives his betting preview on the Milwaukee Bucks vs Chicago Bulls divisional series in the Eastern Conference. Milwaukee finished third in the east with a 51-31 record. Chicago finished sixth at 46-36.

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Series Winner	NBA Betting Notes (by DraftKings)
Win in 4	Bucks (+260) Bulls (+7500)
Win in 5	Bucks (+185) Bulls (+4000)
Win in 6	Bucks (+370) Bulls (+1400)
Win in 7	Bucks (+500) Bulls (+1400)

Milwaukee Bucks vs Chicago Bulls Preview

Milwaukee currently holds the 2nd best record in the East now, winning back-to-back games, with just 2 games to play left in the season but still, nothing is guaranteed.

Boston, Milwaukee and Philly are are still separated by just one game in the battle for 2nd-4th place! Yet Milwaukee is putting up the best fight at the moment winning back-to-back games.

This Bucks team has been pretty balanced this season, they have won 27 of their 41 home games (65.9% winning percentage), but Milwaukee concludes their season with 2 games on the road as they look to improve their 23-16 record away from home.

While their home record is a little more impressive, their road record is good enough for the 3rd best winning percentage in the East.

The last two days will decide who secures the pivotal #2 ranking in the East, since the start of the play-in tournament, that 2nd spot on the playoff bracket hold a little bit more of an advantage, carrying a rest advantage against a team that has to prove their worth, and battle it out with the top 2 seeds in the conference.

Defending Champs Poised to Repeat

Luckily for Milwaukee, injuries won’t be a big concern by the looks of things at the moment. They had known for a little while, but DeAndre’ Bembry is out for the rest of the season after receiving surgery on a torn ACL, with an MCL injury included.

This Eastern Conference is very experienced in the postseason and Milwaukee is no exception, they have made it to the postseason eight times since 2010.

Although they have advanced to the 2nd round just three times, all of those coming in the past three seasons consecutively.

Prior to 2019, they hadn’t advanced to the 2nd round in their five other trips to the playoffs. Out of the last three seasons, twice they advanced to the conference finals, including 2021 when they walked away with the Championship.

In eight appearances, and one title run, the Bucks have played 78 postseason games since 2010, winning 41 of them for a winning percentage of 52.6%. That winning percentage is the 3rd best out of the Eastern Conference playoff teams, even though they won seven out of the 15 playoff series that they participated in.

Bulls Bust Teams Up at Home

The Bulls have clinched the chance to make the playoffs and have avoided the dreaded play-in tournament, but didn’t secure an opportunity to play on their home court, or at least hold the home court advantage during this years playoff run.

They have to be excited to be back in the playoffs regardless, even if they have to go on the road to take the title. Although, if there was any team that “needed” to utilize home court of advantage the argument could have been made that Chicago would have been the priority.

The Bulls are one of the three best teams in the East when it comes to winning on their home court, with a 27-13 record, a half game back of Boston and a game behind the Heat for the best record.

Bulls Great as Favorite, Terrible as Underdog

Yet, what sets Chicago apart is the fact that they are the 2nd worst teams in the East playing on the road, with a better record than just Atlanta, and joining Atlanta and Cleveland as the only two other teams that made the playoffs in the East with a road record under .500, posting an 18-22 record, winning just 45% of their games on the road.

While there is a major advantage for the Bulls in the home and away situation, there is also a drastic difference in how this team plays as a favorite as opposed to be an underdog.

Chicago is the best team in the East as a favorite this year, winning over 80% of their games and covering over 67% of those games, their straight up record (38-9) is better then every team in the playoffs, outside of Phoenix, and no one in the playoffs has covered a better percentage of games against the spread as a favorite.

Yet, on the other side of that, there isn’t a team in the East that is worse as an underdog, both straight up and against the spread.

Chicago is 7-25 as an underdog this season, winning under 22% of their opportunities, and they have covered just 10 of those games against the spread. The only team that even compares to that abysmal record that made the playoffs is Utah, out of the West.

Chicago Back in Playoffs After Five Seasons

When it comes to injury, Matt Thomas seems to be the big name in question, although he hasn’t been a pivotal part of the team, but a lower leg contusion could cause him to miss a little time.

Lonzo Ball has been out with knee issues for an extended period of time and after experiencing discomfort in a 2nd attempt to ramp things back up, Chicago has sidelined him for the rest of the season, ruling him out for the playoffs.

Alex Caruso and Zach Lavine also appeared on the injury report, but they are listed as day-to-day and are still expected to play, even to close out the rest of the regular season.

While Chicago is included on the list of experienced Eastern Conference teams in postseason experience, the only team that made the playoffs that had a longer drought was Charlotte.

Chicago has made it to the postseason seven times since 2010, yet they haven’t made an appearance since 2017! In those seven trips to the playoffs they played 62 games but won just 41.9% of those chances, that’s the 3rd worst win percentage out of the 10 teams coming out of the East (ahead of Brooklyn & Charlotte).

That record resulted in just four series wins in those seven years. They advanced to the 2nd round of the playoffs in 2011, 2013 & 2015, with one sole visit to the Conference Finals back in 2011, but they have to make it beyond that point in the last 12 seasons.

Milwaukee Bucks vs Chicago Bulls Prediction

The Bucks are geared up for another post season run and are practically at full health in order to do so. Brook Lopez missed most of the season but has played enough lately to get himself back to get the Bucks back to the finals.

Once again Giannis Antetokounmpo is playing like he has a chip on his shoulder which should see the Bucks cruise past Chicago in this divisional matchup. Don’t be surprised if the Bulls win a game at home given their success at the United Center.

Prediction: Milwaukee Bucks 4-1 (+185)

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THANK YOU!!

I like to thank everyone for following along with the @WagerTalk #NBA Stat Sheet this season.
It helped me to a 64% NBA season which was #1 in Win% at Wagertalk!

I will post a sheet during the first round of the #NBAPlayoffs2022!

THANK YOU AGAIN!! pic.twitter.com/9NEye135kt

— Ralph Michaels (@CalSportsLV) April 10, 2022

Milwaukee Bucks vs Chicago Bulls Against the Spread Notes from GoldSheet

NBA Tip-Off Show

Join Joe Raineri and a rotating panel of professional handicappers for the NBA Tip-Off Show every Monday-Friday at 4:15pm ET / 1:15pm PT as we discuss the NBA Playoffs. Stay up-to-date on the latest NBA news, stats, analysis, and predictions with our panel of pro sports bettors as they preview NBA Playoff action, including this Milwaukee Bucks vs Chicago Bulls series.

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