Having taken a brief sabbatical Monday in deference to college basketball’s national championship game, the world’s best basketball players return to action in a big way tonight. Bettors have their choice of a dozen games on the Tuesday NBA odds board, including a pair of marquee matchups that could be playoff previews.
The Milwaukee Bucks will try to avoid their first three-game losing streak in a full year when they travel to the Windy City to face the Bulls. Chicago, which is a sizable home underdog on the Tuesday NBA odds board, needs a win to lock up a top-six seed in the Eastern Conference (and thus avoid next week’s NBA play-in tournament).
Out in the Western Conference, the streaking Memphis Grizzlies shoot for their eighth win in a row when they visit the Jazz. Like the Bulls, Utah is struggling. And like the Bulls, Utah needs to stop struggling to avoid the play-in tourney.
Props.com breaks down both contests in our Tuesday NBA betting preview.
Odds via WynnBET and updated as of 5:45 p.m. ET on April 5.
Milwaukee Bucks Vs Chicago Bulls
Tipoff/TV: 8:10 p.m. ET/ESPN
Bucks: 48-30 SU/37-41 ATS
Bulls: 45-33 SU/41-36-1 ATS
Spread/Total: Bucks -5.5/233.5
Season series: Milwaukee blasted the Bulls 126-98 as a 6.5-point home favorite March 22, improving to 3-0 SU/2-1 ATS against Chicago this season. The Bucks are 11-1 SU/8-4 ATS in the last 12 series meetings overall.
Did you know: The Under has cashed in all three Bucks-Bulls battles this season and is 6-1 in the last seven meetings. That said, the winning team has scored at least 118 points in four of the last six clashes.
About Milwaukee: The Bucks started April with back-to-back home losses to the Clippers (153-119 as a 3.5-point favorite) and Mavericks (118-112 as a 6.5-point chalk). Prior to those two setbacks, Milwaukee had been on a 12-3 SU/11-4 ATS roll dating to Feb. 28, never once losing consecutive games. Including last season’s run to the NBA title, the Bucks have not had a three-game SU losing streak in almost a calendar year (April 6-9, 2021) — a stretch of 116 games. With four regular-season contests remaining, Milwaukee is tied with Philadelphia for third place in the Eastern Conference standings, a half-game behind second-place Boston and 2.5 games back of Miami. The Bucks have allowed an average of 126.6 points in their last four outing (although that’s a bit skewed by Friday’s ugly loss to the Clippers — a game multiple starters, including Giannis Antetokounmpo, missed).
About Chicago: The Bulls are virtually assured of landing on the right side of the NBA play-in tournament line, as they’re tied with the Raptors for fifth place in the East, both 3.5 games ahead of Cleveland. Chicago and Toronto have four games remaining, while the Cavaliers have three. If the Bulls and Raptors end up tied in the standings, Chicago will earn the No. 5 seed by virtue of winning the season series against Toronto, 3-1. The Bulls, who are coming off Saturday’s 127-109 loss to Miami as a 2.5-point home underdog, are just 6-12 SU/5-13 ATS since Feb. 26. On the bright side, Chicago is 25-13 ATS at home this season, second to only Memphis (26-13 ATS).
Injuries: Antetokounmpo (30.1 points, 11.6 rebounds, 5.8 assists per game) and Chicago point guard Zach LaVine (24.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists per game) are dealing with knee soreness but both are listed as probable. Antetokounmpo and LaVine are the only key players listed on either team’s injury report.
Editor’s Note: Looking to become a sharper NBA bettor? Check out our NBA betting guide for a few wagering tips.
Notable Trends
- Milwaukee is on positive ATS runs of 9-4 on the road, 8-3 as a favorite and 10-1 on Tuesday
- Chicago is in ATS funks of 5-13 overall and 7-20 as an underdog
- Chicago is 12-5 ATS in its last 17 at home
- Under for Chicago is on runs of 14-5 overall, 5-2 at home, and 9-1 on Tuesday
- Milwaukee is 10-1 ATS in its last 11 trips to Chicago
- Under is 5-2 in the last seven Bucks-Bulls battles in Chicago
Milwaukee Bucks Vs Chicago Bulls Odds and Action
UPDATE 5:45 P.M. ET: Nearly 2.5 hours prior to tip-off, Milwaukee stands as a 6.5 point favorite against Chicago on the Tuesday NBA odds board, according to WynnBET. The Bucks opened -5 before ticking up to -5.5 on Tuesday morning. Then, new broke that Chicago guard Zach LaVine was not expected to play in this game. The spread rose accordingly to the current line of Milwaukee -6.5. WynnBET reports nearly 62% of spread tickets and a whopping 93% of spread handle on the Bucks … WynnBET opened this total at 234, which has marginally moved down to the current total of 231. The tickets are split even between the Over and Under, but WynnBET reports 82% of the handle backing the Under.
Memphis Grizzlies Vs Utah Jazz
Tipoff/TV: 6:10 p.m. ET/NBA League Pass
Grizzlies: 55-23 SU/51-27 ATS
Jazz: 46-32 SU/31-44-3 ATS
Spread/Total: Utah -5.5/225.5
Season series: Memphis has won both head-to-head battles this season, scoring 119 points each time (119-118 as an 11-point underdog on Nov. 12; 119-109 as a 5-point chalk on Jan. 28). Prior to this season, Utah had been on a 4-0 SU/ATS roll against Memphis.
Did you know: The Over has cashed in six consecutive Grizzlies-Jazz clashes and 11 of the last 12. In those 11 games that topped the total, Utah and Memphis combined for 230-plus points nine times.
About Memphis: The Grizzlies took the court against Phoenix on Friday missing three of their four leading scorers, including All-Star guard Ja Morant. Didn’t matter, as they ended the Suns’ nine-game winning streak and extended their own positive run to seven in a row with a 122-114 victory as a 7.5-point home underdog. Despite dealing with multiple injuries, Memphis is averaging 124.4 points during its seven-game SU run (6-1 ATS), and has scored at least 122 in eight of its last nine wins. For the season, the Grizzlies are averaging 115.4 points per outing, which ranks second to Minnesota (115.8). Memphis has the NBA’s best point-spread record overall, best at home and tied for second best on the road (25-14-1). That said, the Grizzlies are just 2-5 ATS in their last seven as a visitor.
About Utah: While Memphis is locked into the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference standings, the slumping Jazz still have work to do to stay out of the NBA’s play-in tournament that begins Monday. Utah, which is in a 1-6 SU/0-7 ATS funk, has fallen to sixth place in the standings, a half-game behind fifth-place Denver but just 1.5 games ahead of seventh-place Minnesota. The Jazz have four games remaining, while the TWolves have three. In fairness, Utah has played seven of its last eight games on the road. At home, the Jazz are 12-1 SU/8-3-1 ATS since Feb. 2, the lone defeat coming to the defending champion Bucks.
Injuries: Morant will miss his eighth straight game (and ninth in the last 10) with his knee injury. Also, forward Dillon Brooks (hip) is doubtful. However, several other Grizzlies who have missed time recently are expected to play. Tuards Tyus Jones (hand) and Desmond Bane (ankle), forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (thigh), and center Steven Adams (calf) are all listed as probable. … All of Utah’s key players are healthy and presumably available.
Notable Trends
- Memphis is on positive ATS runs of 41-18 overall and 14-4 as an underdog
- Utah is 15-33-3 ATS in its last 51 overall
- Utah’s 8-3-1 ATS run at home has all been as a favorite
- Under is 4-1 in Memphis’ last five overall
- Under is 11-5-1 in Utah’s last 17 overall
- Over is 14-3 in the last 17 Grizzlies-Jazz battles in Utah
Memphis Grizzlies Vs Utah Jazz Odds and Action
UPDATE 5:45 P.M. ET: Utah opened -5 at WynnBET, and the line currently stands at -5.5 on the Tuesday NBA odds board. WynnBET is reporting 63% of tickets taking Memphis against the spread, but 81% of the spread handle is on Utah … The total ticked up after opening 224.5, and it currently sits at 226.5. WynnBET is reporting lopsided action on the total with 82% of tickets on the Over and nearly all of the handle (99%) to the Over.