Game Time: Saturday, December 27, 2025
Location: United Center, Chicago
Spread: Bulls -5.5
Okay, I’m officially allowing myself to dream. FIVE straight wins. The Chicago Bulls have won five games in a row, and now we’re hosting the struggling Milwaukee Bucks at the United Center on December 27th.
Are we actually… good? Like, legitimately good? Or is this a beautiful mirage that’s about to crumble against Giannis and Dame? Let’s talk about it.
The Bulls Are 15-15 and It Feels Like a Championship
I know how ridiculous that sounds. We’re .500. We’ve won exactly as many games as we’ve lost. But after the disaster start to this season, being 15-15 and riding a five-game win streak feels like we’re destined for the Finals.
This is what being a Bulls fan does to your brain.
What’s Changed During This Win Streak?
Everything. Seriously, everything just clicked:
- Zach LaVine is cooking – Averaging 25+ per game during the streak
- DeMar is doing DeMar things – Mid-range maestro mode activated
- Vooch remembered he’s an All-Star – Dominating the paint on both ends
- Defense actually exists – We’re playing like we’ve discovered what a help rotation is
- Coby White is microwave hot off the bench – Instant offense when we need it
Bulls averaging 119.4 points per game recently, which is actually sustainable offense. This isn’t just fluky shooting—we’re moving the ball, getting good looks, and executing in crunch time.
For the first time all season, I’m watching Bulls basketball and thinking “we might actually win this” instead of “how are we going to blow this lead?”
The Bucks: Talented But Struggling at 12-19
Let’s be real about Milwaukee’s situation. They’re 12-19. The Milwaukee Bucks—a team with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard on the roster—are seven games under .500 in late December.
That’s not a typo. That’s a crisis.
What’s Wrong in Milwaukee?
They can’t rebound. The Bucks are literally last in the NBA in rebounds per game at 40.3. LAST. In the entire league. That’s pathetic for a team with Giannis, and it’s exactly the kind of weakness we need to exploit.
Road struggles. Milwaukee has been terrible away from home, and they’re walking into the United Center where we’ve been playing our best basketball.
Inconsistent defense. They had a good game against Indiana (forced 19 turnovers), but they’ve been getting torched consistently all season.
Chemistry issues. Something just isn’t clicking between Dame and Giannis. The talent is there, but the execution isn’t.
But They’re Still Dangerous
Here’s the thing—we can’t get cocky. This is still a team with:
- Giannis Antetokounmpo – One bad quarter from him could erase our entire lead
- Damian Lillard – If Dame gets hot, he can score 15 points in three minutes
- Khris Middleton – Veteran who knows how to win big games
- Bobby Portis – Former Bull who always seems to play harder against us
The Bucks might be struggling, but they’re not a pushover. One bad quarter from us, and this game could flip.
The Key Matchups That’ll Decide This Game
Vooch vs Bobby Portis: The Rebounding Battle
This is everything. Milwaukee is dead last in rebounding, and we need Nikola Vučević to absolutely dominate Bobby Portis on the glass.
Vooch has been playing like a man possessed during this streak—grabbing boards, scoring in the post, and protecting the rim. If he controls the paint tonight, we’re in great shape.
Bobby Portis will bring energy (he always does against us), but he’s fighting an uphill battle. Vooch has the size advantage, the hot streak, and home court.
Edge: Bulls (if Vooch stays aggressive)
Zach LaVine vs Khris Middleton
Zach needs to attack Middleton relentlessly. Khris is a solid defender, but he’s not quick enough to stay with Zach when he’s in attack mode.
If LaVine can get to the rim early, draw fouls, and get Middleton in foul trouble, it opens everything up for the rest of our offense. We need 25+ from Zach tonight.
Edge: Bulls (if LaVine stays aggressive)
DeMar DeRozan vs… Whoever Guards Him Gets Cooked
Nobody in Milwaukee can really guard DeMar’s mid-range game. He’s going to get his shots. The question is whether he makes them.
DeMar in the mid-range is basketball poetry. When he’s hitting those pull-ups, we’re nearly impossible to beat.
Edge: Bulls (DeMar is inevitable)
The Wild Card: Can Patrick Williams Actually Help?
Patrick Williams has been… Patrick Williams. Sometimes great, sometimes invisible.
Tonight, we need Good Patrick. The one who hits corner threes, plays multiple positions on defense, and doesn’t disappear for entire quarters.
If Pat Will shows up, we’re covering the 5.5 easily. If he doesn’t? This game gets tight.
What Needs to Happen for the Bulls to Win
1. Dominate the Glass
Milwaukee is 30th in rebounding. THIRTIETH. If we don’t out-rebound them by double digits, we’re doing something terribly wrong.
Vooch, Drummond (when he’s in), and even DeMar need to crash the boards. Second-chance points will be there for the taking.
2. Don’t Let Giannis Take Over
Easier said than done, I know. But we need to make Giannis work for everything. Wall off the paint, force him into tough mid-range shots, and don’t give him easy dunks in transition.
If Giannis gets 40+ and we still win, I’ll live with it. But we can’t let him have an efficient 40. Make him earn every point.
3. Protect Home Court Energy
The United Center has been electric during this win streak. The crowd is into it, the energy is real, and our guys are feeding off it.
We need that atmosphere from tip-off. Make Milwaukee uncomfortable from the jump. Force them into early turnovers. Get the crowd roaring.
4. Coby White Needs to Provide Bench Spark
Coby has been phenomenal off the bench lately. We need that instant offense when the starters rest.
If Milwaukee makes a run in the second quarter, Coby White scoring 8 quick points can kill their momentum before it builds.
The Bucks’ Path to Victory
Let’s not pretend Milwaukee can’t win this. Here’s how they pull the upset:
Dame Time happens early. If Damian Lillard catches fire in the first half and hits five threes before halftime, we’re in trouble.
Giannis dominates. If we can’t slow him down and he goes for 45/15/8, even our hot shooting won’t be enough.
They crash the glass. If Milwaukee somehow fixes their rebounding issues for one night, it neutralizes our biggest advantage.
We get complacent. The biggest danger is us thinking we’ve already won because they’re 12-19. That’s how you lose at home as a favorite.
Betting Lines and Predictions
Spread: Bulls -5.5
Over/Under: Probably around 230 (not listed but I’m guessing)
My Picks
Bulls -5.5: I’m taking it with confidence. We’re hot, they’re struggling, and we’re at home. This line should honestly be closer to 7.
Over: Both teams can score. Milwaukee’s defense is shaky, our offense is clicking. I like the over if it’s anywhere under 232.
Zach LaVine over 24.5 points: (if that’s the prop) Zach is in attack mode. He’s going to eat against Milwaukee’s perimeter defense.
Prediction: Bulls 118, Bucks 111
We cover the 5.5, extend the streak to six, and move to 16-15 on the season. The dream of .500+ ball continues.
Giannis will get his 30-something points, Dame might have a decent game, but our balanced attack and rebounding advantage will be too much.
Why This Game Actually Matters
Look, it’s December 27th. We’re not talking about playoff seeding yet. But this game matters for a few reasons:
Confidence building. Beating a team with Giannis and Dame—even a struggling version—proves we’re for real.
Division standings. It’s a Central Division game. These matter for tiebreakers down the line.
Momentum into the new year. If we can get to 16-15 and carry this streak into 2026, suddenly we’re a completely different team than the one that started 10-15.
Proving we’re not frauds. Five-game win streaks are great, but if we lose to a 12-19 team at home, people will say we’re just beating up on bad teams.
The Honest Bulls Fan Take
I’m trying not to get ahead of myself. I really am. But watching this team right now compared to where we were three weeks ago feels like watching a completely different squad.
We’re moving the ball. We’re playing defense. Role players are contributing. Zach and DeMar are both producing without stepping on each other’s toes. Vooch is playing like he wants a new contract.
The Bucks are vulnerable. They’re last in rebounding, struggling on the road, and dealing with chemistry issues. This is a game we SHOULD win.
Will we? I think so. We’re at home, we’re hot, and Milwaukee hasn’t figured out how to put it together yet this season.
Bulls 118, Bucks 111. Six in a row. Let’s go.
But also, I’m prepared to be hurt. Because that’s what being a Bulls fan has trained me for.
Keys to Victory:
- Out-rebound Milwaukee by 10+
- Limit Giannis to under 32 points
- Zach or DeMar (or both) drop 25+
- Coby White provides instant offense
- Protect home court from start to finish
Biggest Concerns:
- Dame getting nuclear hot
- Giannis being unstoppable
- Us playing down to competition
- Foul trouble for Vooch
Final thought: If we lose to a 12-19 team at home while on a five-game win streak, I’m not watching basketball until March. But we won’t. Right? RIGHT?
See you at the United Center. Go Bulls!