If you thought the Milwaukee Bucks were perhaps a little vulnerable after their Game 2 home loss to the Chicago Bulls, well, perhaps think again. Milwaukee rolled in Games 3 and 4 on the road, and the Bucks are double-digit Game 5 favorites on the NBA playoff odds board.
Should defending NBA champion Milwaukee close out this series Wednesday night, the Boston Celtics await in Round 2.
Props.com grabs insights from multiple bookmakers on NBA playoff odds for Bulls vs. Bucks Game 5. Check back for updates through Wednesday’s tipoff.
NBA Playoff Odds and Betting Action
No. 6 Chicago Bulls vs No. 3 Milwaukee Bucks (7:30 p.m. ET)
UPDATE 5:45 P.M. ET WEDNESDAY: Less than two hours before tipoff, Milwaukee is out to a 12.5-point favorite in WynnBet’s Wednesday NBA playoff odds market. The line opened at Milwaukee -10.5 in the wake of the Bucks’ Game 4 blowout win, then backed up to -10 Monday night. But the line has since been on the rise, reaching Bucks -12.5 late this morning. Milwaukee is netting a relatively modest 62% of spread bets, but those wagers are translating into 81% of spread money.
The total opened at 218.5, initially rose to 219.5 Monday, then by Tuesday afternoon receded to 218, where it sits now. Ticket count is 6/1 and money 3/1 on the Under.
UPDATE 7:30 P.M. ET TUESDAY: Milwaukee (54-32 SU, 41-46 ATS) trashed Chicago in Games 3 and 4 of this first-round series by a combined 54 points. The Bucks followed a 111-81 Game 3 blowout with Sunday’s 119-95 rout as 4-point road favorites, taking a 3-1 series lead. It was Milwaukee’s second straight cover, after Chicago cashed in Games 1 and 2.
The Bucks improved to 6-2 ATS in their last eight postseason games and are 7-1 SU/5-3 ATS vs. Chicago this season. However, Milwaukee is in an 0-5 ATS rut at home.
Meanwhile, Chicago (47-39 SU, 44-41-1 ATS) is a meager 8-18 SU and ATS in its last 26 games overall and is on an 8-21 ATS purge as an underdog. But the Bulls covered in their last four on the highway and are 9-3 ATS on their last dozen trips to Milwaukee.
Game 4 fell a few points shy of the 219 total, making the Under 4-0 in this playoff series. In fact, the Under is 10-2 in the last dozen Bulls-Bucks meetings (7-1 this season).
On Sunday night, TwinSpires Sportsbook opened the Bucks at -10.5 in the Wednesday NBA playoff odds market. The Bucks rose to -11 Monday and -12 today. However, it’s not overwhelming action early on, with Milwaukee seeing 53% of tickets and 66% of money on the spread.
“Sharp play on Bucks -10.5,” TwinSpires director of retail sports Zachary Lucas said.
The total inched down from 218.5 to 218, with 55% of early tickets on the Over/58% of early cash on the Under.