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The Chicago Bulls will host the Milwaukee Bucks for Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round matchup on Friday.
DeMar DeRozan scored 41 points as the Bulls evened the series with a 114-110 victory on Wednesday, shifting the series' momentum. The Bucks' Khris Middleton went down with an injury and is expected to miss the entire series. The Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo tallied 33 points and 18 rebounds with nine assists.
Friday is likely to be another close contest as the first two games have been decided by just seven (93-86 on Sunday) and four points.
DeRozan has been outstanding all year, and on Wednesday, he proved again that he was well worth signing in free agency. The Bulls shot an efficient 48.0% from 3-point range and 49.4% overall, a massive improvement from Game 1. The All-Star guard will have to carry the scoring load in Game 3 at home, where he's averaged 28.1 points per game.
The Bucks were dealt an unfortunate blow when Middleton suffered an MCL sprain. Now, the Bucks will need to find a way to replace his 20.1 ppg. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday will have to do the heavy lifting, but it won't be easy without their star forward. Milwaukee was just 7-9 without Middleton this year but will need to find a way to win the rest of the series without him.
"Bucks’ Khris Middleton will likely miss Games 3-4 vs. Chicago and is sidelined indefinitely with sprained MCL injury," Shams Charania tweeted.
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Chicago Bulls Match Details
Fixture: Milwaukee Bucks @ Chicago Bulls
Date & Time: Friday, April 22nd, 8:30 PM EDT
Venue: United Center, Chicago, IL
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Chicago Bulls Betting Odds
The Bucks have gone 4-1 against the spread in their last five games on the road. For the Bulls, they've only covered the spread once out of the last 12 games against Milwaukee at the United Center. When looking at the Over/Under, the total has gone under five of the last six times these teams have matched up.
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Chicago Bulls Best Picks
DeMar DeRozan has been the Bulls' best player, and he was even in the MVP conversation for a while. The All-Star recorded four assists to go along with his 41 points, so even when DeRozan's shot isn't falling, he can make up for it with his playmaking ability.
Pick: DeMar DeRozan Over 34.5 Points + Assists
"DeMar DeRozan declared after Game 1 that he wouldn't shoot 6-of-25 again. The response? He shot 16-of-31 in Game 2." - @chicagobulls
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Chicago Bulls Betting Prediction
The first two games have been close, so expect another tight affair Friday. The Bucks without Middleton were just 7-9 this year, but Giannis and several other Bucks starters were rested or out in some of those games. Milwaukee should win by just a few points behind another dominant game from Antetokounmpo and a solid defensive performance.
Prediction: Milwaukee Bucks -2.5 (-112) & Under 222.5 (-110)
