Chicago Bulls vs Milwaukee Bucks 4/17/22: Starting Lineups, Matchup Preview, Betting Odds, Live Stream

Chicago Bulls vs Milwaukee Bucks Matchup Preview (4/17/22)

The 6th seed Chicago Bulls (46-36) take on the 3rd seed Milwaukee Bucks (51-31) in the First Round of the Eastern Conference. Chicago finished the season with the 13th Offensive Rating and 23rd Defensive Rating. They struggled mightily against top competition, going a combined 1-14 against the Heat, Celtics, Bucks, and 76ers. Free agency addition DeMar DeRozan has shined this season though at 27.9 PPG, 5.2 RPG, and 4.9 APG on a 50.4 FG%. From February 6th to February 24th, DeRozan recorded an NBA record 8 straight games of 35+ points on at least 50 FG%. The Bulls will lean on their trio of DeRozan, LaVine, and Vucevic here. In this game, Lonzo Ball and bench sharpshooter Matt Thomas are out. Chicago will continue to start Caruso in Ball’s place at point guard.   

The Bucks will look to defend their title and be the first team to win back-to-back championships since the Durant Warriors. They didn’t have the same regular season success as past years; Milwaukee had a higher winning percentage in each of the last three seasons. However, the Bucks still finished with the 3rd Offensive Rating and 14th Defensive Rating. Giannis Antetokounmpo has been excellent this season and was worthy of being both MVP and DPOY. He averaged 29.9 PPG, 11.6 RPG, 5.8 APG, 1.1 SPG, and 1.4 BPG on 55.3 FG%. Jordan Nwora is a game time decision for the Bucks. If he cannot play, Milwaukee will lose forward depth, but it won’t be a huge loss. 

Chicago Bulls vs Milwaukee Bucks Betting Odds

The Bucks swept the Bulls this season; they won by 4, 6, 28, and 21 points. In four games, Giannis averaged 26.7 PPG, 13.5 RPG, 5 APG on 55.7% from the field. DeRozan, on the other hand, produced 31.2 PPG, 4 RPG, and 4 APG on 47.4 FG%. In this game, I like the Bucks to handle the Bulls without too much of a hassle. Milwaukee has three of the five best players and arguably the greatest player in the world. The Bucks swept the Bulls for a reason; Chicago cannot compete against elite squads this season. Although the spread is at -10.5, I still think the Bucks cover here. They matchup well with the Bulls and have championship confidence now. 

The over under line is set at 228.5 total points. I am going with the over here because both offenses are more reliable than their defenses. The Bucks were 3rd in Offensive Rating and PPG, while the Bulls were 3rd in FG% and 4th in 3PT%. I think the Bucks elite defense will return in a few games, but they will be shaky on that end in Game 1.

TV Schedule

Date: 4/17/22
Time: 6:30 PM ET
Arena: Fiserv Forum – Milwaukee, WI
Channel: TNT

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Chicago Bulls Starting Lineup

PG: Alex Caruso
SG: Zach LaVine
SF: DeMar DeRozan
PF: Patrick Williams
C: Nikola Vucevic

Chicago Bulls Analysis

The Bulls are 18-7 when Nikola Vucevic scores 20+ points, which is on pace for 59 wins. DeRozan and LaVine will always be able to score when isolating, but the play of Vucevic is critical to their success. He provides an interior presence to balance their offense, yet he can also stretch the floor when needed. His rim protection will be essential against Giannis, who loves to drive to the hoop. If Vucevic plays poorly on both ends of the court, the Bulls can forget about winning this series. 

Giannis’ most common playtypes are transition and isolation. The Bulls are 24th at defending transition plays and 23rd at defending isolation plays, which doesn’t bode well for them. Patrick Williams will start at power forward, and he must use his athletic frame to limit Giannis as best as he can. Williams also ranks in the 99th percentile at spot up shooting in 17 games this season through his blistering shooting (51.7 3PT%). He’s an essential 3&D guy who gels this starting lineup together. 

Milwaukee Bucks Starting Lineup

PG: Jrue Holiday
SG: Grayson Allen
SF: Khris Middleton
PF: Giannis Antetokounmpo
C: Brook Lopez

Milwaukee Bucks Analysis

Milwaukee can count on Giannis to deliver a monster stat line every game. He will lead the Bucks on both offense and defense. The 2nd most important player is point guard Jrue Holiday, who averaged 18.3 PPG and 6.8 APG. Holiday is arguably the best perimeter defender in the league when he is focused. The Bucks may explore placing Holiday on shooting guard Zach LaVine (24.4 PPG) in order to limit LaVine’s explosive scoring. The Bucks successfully did this maneuver in the Finals last season when they switched Jrue onto Booker instead of Paul. The Bulls were 2nd in transition and pick and roll ball handler offense, so they must extinguish their production somehow. If there is a perimeter defender who can do that, it is Jrue Holiday. 

The Bulls are 27th at spot up defense, and Vucevic doesn’t protect the rim well. Giannis will be able to drive all game and collapse the defense. Shooters will be open – it will just be a matter of if they can hit their shots. The Bucks can go extremely big with a lineup of Jrue, Middleton, Portis, Giannis, and Lopez. On the other hand, they can go small with Middleton at power forward and Giannis at center. Milwaukee can change their identity at a moment’s notice, which gives them a significant edge throughout the playoffs.