Milwaukee at Chicago

Time: 7 PM CT (NBA LP)

Spread: MIL -7.5

Total: 226.5

Odds c/o 5dimes

MIL TEAM NOTES:

The Milwaukee Bucks have won nine of its last 10 to improve to 45-14 on the season. It holds a two game lead over Toronto for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.

The Bucks have a top-2 or 3 to rival any team in the East. Giannis Antetokounmpo is turning in an MVP-caliber season with his 26.6 points, 12.6 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.39 steals and 1.45 blocks per game. His PER leads the Bucks at 29.5. Khris Middleton is quietly having another superb season as the No. 2 scorer. Middleton averages 17.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game.??Eric Bledsoe has fit in well since becoming a Buck.

He joins Middleton in the backcourt as the No. 3 scorer, good for 15.8 points per game. 2017 Rookie of the Year Malcolm Brogdon is steady and consistent. He has averaged 15.7 points and 1.00 blocks/steals per game and is one of the team’s best defenders. The Bucks are the league’s top rebounding team at 49.0 boards per game, and it has the No. 7 defense in the league in allowing 107.4 per game. The Bucks also possess the No. 2 offense, averaging 117.4 points per game. Its positive 10-point differential is best in the East.

CHI

The Bulls are just 7-23 on its home court this year. The Bulls are just four games better than cellar-dwelling Cleveland, and there is no hope of this team making the postseason this year.

The Bulls have struggled on both ends of the court. It averages just 101 points per game despite strong offensive games from Zach LaVine, who leads the team in scoring at 22.9 points per game. Lauri Markkanen has been good since returning from injury, and he has averaged 17.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.7 steals/blocks per game. Jabari Parker has been mostly a disappointment though, and Bobby Portis—thought to be promising—has missed most of the season.

The Bulls surrender 111 points per game and possess a -9.9 point differential while ranking near the bottom of the league in assists per game and boards per game. There are few bright spots on the roster, but Wendell Carter Jr has fulfilled some of his promise.

The rookie has averaged 10.3 points, seven boards and 1.32 blocks per game in his rookie season. The Bulls will have to re-tool and gain a defensive identity this offseason, but in the meantime, it does have a few promising pieces to work with in LaVine, Markkanen, and Carter Jr.

Chicago has lingered since trading Jimmy Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Butler has gone on to end up in Philadelphia. The team lost not only its leader but the only player close to resembling a superstar, notwithstanding that LaVine, at least, scores like one.

ATS TRENDS (C/o COVERS):