As we continue to move towards the All-Star Weekend, we have some fun games to look forward to. Now that LeBron has claimed the crown of the all-time scoring leader, we can get back to basketball and concentrate on the games!
An interesting matchup that is looming is the Chicago Bulls vs Milwaukee Bucks on February 17. In the article below, we look at what this match will entail, the current form of both teams, and who we think will triumph (TL;DR – the Bucks will win!).
Milwaukee Bucks – finding their form and continuing success
The Bucks have been in the top running for bookies’ favorite to reach the finals and these odds have improved recently with their amazing play. If you love sports betting, then now could be the time to place a wager on them! Indeed, if you love casinos and gambling in general, you can find many free casino games that pay real money – and that have sports themes!
At the time of writing this, the Bucks are on an eight-game winning streak. They stand second in the East and there is no denying that their form has improved dramatically in recent weeks. Khris Middleton is continuing to regain his form each match, Jrue continues to play at a deserved All-Star level and Giannis is Giannis.
We have Brook Lopez aka Splash Mountain continuing to be a defensive menace and 3-pt sniper. Also, Joe Ingles is looking better each game, and other players like Grayson Allen and Nwora make their presence felt whenever they play.
Everything seems to be gelling and of course, Giannis is playing at his usual MVP level. He has had a string of 30/10 games and shows no signs of slowing down. With this kind of momentum and play, it’s hard to see how the Bulls will have anything to match them.
Chicago Bulls – struggling to maintain consistency
Like the Mavericks and Nets who have recently completed their Kyrie trade, the Bulls need a boost. They stand at a lackluster ninth in the Eastern Conference and have a record below 0.500. This is a far cry from last season where at one point they were in the top spot in the East and were dominating.
There have been many issues that haven’t helped. Firstly, DeRozan and LaVine are playing pretty well but not quite at their All-Star levels of last season. Should DeMar even be an All-Star this year? Maybe not. Sure, they are still having the odd 30pt game but they don’t seem as consistent as before.
Secondly, Lonzo is still injured! Will he ever return? His continued absence and the lack of updates are really concerning and it’s such a shame because he was turning into a vital player both offensively and defensively for the Bulls.
Other than that, the team just isn’t playing great. There is a lack of consistency and their defense really needs to improve. Lonzo and Caruso helped shore things up defensively and make up for DeRozan and LaVine’s average attempts, but without Ball, their inefficiencies show. I feel like the Bulls need to make a trade before the deadline to make a big improvement.
The game – Giannis should look to dominate
I honestly can’t see how the Bulls can win this one. If they do, it’s going to take monumental performances from their two superstars and a breakdown from the Bucks.
The Bucks are currently in great form. Giannis is playing incredibly, as are Jrue and Lopez. Middleton will only get better – you can see the rust slowly fading away and he has already had some great performances in the limited minutes he has played.
I expect Giannis to dominate this game and potentially go off for 40+pts. The Bulls don’t really have a defensive answer for him. We all know that Vučević can’t defend for anything, and who else do they have who can stop Giannis just bullying everyone and taking over? You also have Brook Lopez, who is equally as likely to go off and play some bully ball inside the paint.
As it stands, with both teams’ current form and the matchup itself, the Bucks will win this one comfortably. Unless DeMar and Zach combine for like 80pts, I don’t see any other outcome. But this is the NBA and upsets regularly happen, so I could be eating my worlds come the 17th!
I totally expect the Bucks to win this one comfortably. The Bulls will undoubtedly put up a great fight but they really don’t have a reliable answer to stop Giannis in the paint or in transition. Vučević simply isn’t a good enough defender and shouldn’t pose any issues for the Greek Freak. If Middleton and Jrue put in good performances too, this one is a wrap – sorry Bulls fans!
