Bucks vs Bulls: How to Watch, Odds, Predictions, More

One of the Central Division's best team's hosts one of its worst on Friday night.

Nov 13, 2023; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) drives to the basket against Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine (8) in the fourth quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images / Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

One of the Central Division's best team's hosts one of its worst on Friday night.

The lowly Chicago Bulls (0-1) head to Fiserv Forum to square off against the Milwaukee Bucks (1-0) for their first encounter of the 2024-25 regular season. It will be fascinating to see these two franchises, apparently heading in opposite directions, face off.

How to Watch

Wisconsin-based fans can tune in to the game locally via the FanDuel Sports Network. Chicago-based fans of either squad can watch the action on the brand-new Chicago Sports Network, owned by Bulls majority governor Jerry Reinsdorf. Wisconsin fans can tune in via 620 AM/103.3 FM WTMJ. Fans located elsewhere can watch on League Pass or stream on fuboTV. The game tips off at 7 p.m. CT/8 p.m. ET.

Odds

Per sportsbook aggregator The Action Network, the Bucks are -9.5 point favorites to protect their home turf Friday.

Predictions

Although injury-prone Bulls All-Star small forward Zach LaVine is the headline for non-Chicagoans, he's not even the Bulls' best player. That'd be combo guard Coby White, who was a fringe All-Star candidate himself last season. Look for him to exploit Damian Lillard and/or Gary Trent Jr. and get downhill more than he did in the Bulls' 123-111 season opener loss against the New Orleans Pelicans.

But also, look for it not to matter. Milwaukee is far better, and needs to win these kinds of games against the East's dregs.

More

LaVine had a remarkably efficient first game for Chicago on Wednesday, scoring 27 points on 10-of-17 shooting from the field (5-of-8 from deep) and 2-of-3 shooting from the foul line, grabbing five rebounds, and dishing out three assists against a brutal seven turnovers. He also notched four fouls. It's no secret that both LaVine and the Bulls would like to figure out a LaVine trade, but it appears that team president Arturas Karnisovas has been unwilling to pull the trigger on any proposals he may have gotten.

The Bucks used to have one of the best perimeter defenses in the game, between perennial All-Defensive point guard Jrue Holiday (now with the Boston Celtics), All-Star small forward Khris Middleton, and former Defensive Player of the Year power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. Antetokounmpo has been exposed on that end in the playoffs, Middleton has lost a step, and Holiday has been replaced by Damian Lillard, who couldn't care less about defensive containment. Gary Trent Jr. is Milwaukee's starting shooting guard, and he's not exactly a lockdown guy, either. With Middleton still ailing, 3-and-D veteran's minimum swingman Taurean Prince will draw the start. How he handles LaVine could dictate just how close of a Bucks victory this is.

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