NEWSLETTER
Will this be my final pre-gamin’ post of the 2021-22 season?
No Zach LaVine or Alex Caruso certainly doesn’t give me much hope that this will end in a Bulls win, but I’ll keep my head held high and just hope this group can give us some fun moments. Expectations are low, so if you can get some of these young guys some extra playoff minutes and just go out swinging, I’ll be content.
Game Info
Milwaukee Bucks (51-31) at Chicago Bulls (46-36) – 6:30 p.m. CT on NBC Sports Chicago (TV), ABC (TV), and 670 The Score (Radio)
Chicago Bulls
1. Ayo Dosunmu
2. Javonte Green
3. DeMar DeRozan
4. Patrick Williams
5. Nikola Vučević
Injury Report: Lonzo Ball OUT (knee), Zach LaVine OUT (Health and Safety Protocols), Alex Caruso OUT (concussion)
Zach LaVine Enters Health and Safety Protocols Ahead of Game 5https://t.co/LUQatEArCL pic.twitter.com/2WGpmWgtg7
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) April 26, 2022
Milwaukee Bucks
1. Jrue Holliday
2. Wesley Matthews
3. Bobby Portis
4. Giannis Antetokounmpo
5. Brook Lopez
Injury Report: George Hill OUT (abdominal), Khris Middleton OUT (knee)
Odds
The Bulls walk into tonight as +10.5 underdogs against the Milwaukee Bucks at the PointsBet Illinois Sportsbook and as a +610 money line underdog at the FanDuel Illinois Sportsbook. Click on either link to sign up and pick the Bulls to cover (… or pick the opposite, I guess …)!
No, Seriously … the Bulls Are LOOOOOONG Shots Tonighthttps://t.co/bG5kO4GcLB pic.twitter.com/t160tp9YqX
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) April 27, 2022
What to Watch For …
• Does DeMar DeRozan have one last takeover in him? We saw the All-Star starter put together a 41-point performance in Game 2 to lead the Bulls to their one and only victory. In the two games since, the Milwaukee Bucks have put the bulk of their defensive pressure on the midrange assassin, holding him to just 41.4 percent shooting and 34 points. There is no question the absence of LaVine will only allow Milwaukee to continue to prioritize DeRozan, but we all know he’s still one of the most talented contested shot-makers in the league. If he can find a rhythm tonight, the Bulls might have a chance.
• All things considered, Nikola Vucevic has played decently well against this massive Bucks frontcourt. The big man dropped a much-needed 24 points in each of the first two games of the series, and he shot 10-18 in the team’s lone victory. He’ll need to string together the same kind of efficient performance tonight to open up the floor for DeRozan and keep this Bucks’ D on their toes. With that in mind, I’ll be very interested to see how Billy Donovan approaches these 48 minutes. While there is no real way to dominate the paint against Milwaukee, the lack of LaVine’s floor-spacing capabilities could turn this into a bully-ball game down low.
• It’s time for the Bulls’ young players to show the front office what they got. Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, and Patrick Williams are all going to have to carry that much more weight tonight on both ends of the floor. It would be partially sweet to see Willaims build on his Game 4 performance where he dropped 20 points with 10 rebounds. Even if the Bulls season comes to and tonight, it will be this extra experience for playoff newbies that could push their development further in the right direction.
• More in here …
LaVine and Caruso Officially Out, Who Will Step Up? Morant and Rose, and Other Bulls Bulletshttps://t.co/9AbhV9gIRW pic.twitter.com/h6Rsjzjx7m
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) April 27, 2022
