Bucks vs. Bulls predictions, spread pick & odds: Thursday, 2/16

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As we head into the All-Star Weekend, there is still basketball left to be played, and we are here for it. Things are looking good for the Milwaukee Bucks as they sit at second place in the Eastern Conference, while the Chicago Bulls are on the outside looking in of the play-in tournament.

With a matchup that could playoff a factor heading into postseason time, our experts have provided their Bucks vs. Bulls predictions with odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook.

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It is difficult to ignore what is going on in Milwaukee, as you will be hard-pressed to find a team hotter than the Bucks. Giannis Antetokounmpo continues to perform at a high level despite dealing with a knee injury, and with Jrue Holiday running the point, the Bucks are not without offensive firepower. Bobby Portis remains out, but Khris Middleton continues to work his way back from injury and he is averaging 18.8 points per game in his last four games.

From the perspective of the Bulls, they are entering Thursday from the complete opposite end of the spectrum as the Bucks. Chicago is in the midst of a five-game losing streak and it is unclear whether or not DeMar DeRozan will be available on Thursday. Beyond Zach LaVine and the offense we have been seeing out of Nikola Vucevic, it is hard to find confidence in anything else out of Chicago.

The Bucks are simply the better team, and we expect them to come out motivated on Thursday after having some issues on Tuesday with the Boston Celtics early in the game. Milwaukee will want to enter the All-Star break on a high note, and based on the way they are playing, that is certainly a plausible scenario.

Middleton is only getting better as any signs of rust are gone, and Holiday has truly done a great job of running the show as the Bucks have dealt with the injuries over the first half of the season. Chicago simply doesn’t have the depth to be successful without DeRozan, and even if he returns on Thursday, there might still be limits on his playing time.

With that being said, the thought process for our Bucks vs. Bulls predictions is for Milwaukee to cover the 7.5-point spread at BetMGM Sportsbook.

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BetMGM Sportsbook. Chicago +7.5 comes with -110 odds, while Milwaukee -7.5 is priced at the same -110 odds. That means an $11 wager on the Bulls would profit $10 if they lose by seven points or fewer or pull off the upset, while the same $11 bet on the Bucks would win $10 if they win by at least eight points.

The total (over/under) is set at 230 points, with -110 odds on both the over and under. Keep in mind that you can place your first bet on any market after registering for a new account at BetMGM Sportsbook and receive first-bet insurance of up to $1,000 without needing a promo code.

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