Bucks vs. Bulls Prediction, Odds, Players to Watch for NBA Summer League

Are the Bulls undervalued as underdogs in Summer League on Wednesday?

Bulls first-round pick Noa Essengue is a player to watch on July 16. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

After picking up a one-point win in their Las Vegas Summer League opener, the Milwaukee Bucks have dropped back-to-back games by double digits heading into Wednesday’s clash with the Chicago Bulls.

Chicago is set as the underdog in this game at various sportsbooks, although it is coming off a 114-105 win over the Indiana Pacers in its last game.

Despite that, oddsmakers aren’t looking past the Bulls’ 17-point loss to Sacramento or the team’s 44-point loss to the Toronto Raptors earlier this summer. 

Chicago has two lottery picks from the last two drafts – Matas Buzelis and Noa Essengue – on the roster, while Milwaukee is rolling with a much less talented roster in terms of players drafted at the top of the draft.

Can the Bucks pick up their second win as 4.5-point favorites?

Let’s dive into the odds, players to watch and my prediction for this Summer League showdown.  

Bucks vs. Bulls Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread

• Bucks -4.5 (-110)
• Bulls +4.5 (-110)

Moneyline

• Bucks: -198
• Bulls: +164

Total

• 186.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Bucks vs. Bulls How to Watch

• Date: Wednesday, July 16
• Time: 5:30 p.m. EST
• Venue: Thomas & Mack Center
• How to Watch (TV): ESPN2
• Bucks record: 1-2
• Bulls record: 1-2

Bucks vs. Bulls Key Players to Watch

Milwaukee Bucks

• Chris Livingston 

A former second-round pick, Livingston is coming off a 21-point game in the Bucks’ most recent loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Livingston has struggled to earn NBA minutes so far in his career, but he’s averaging 20.0 points per game so far this summer while shooting 50.0 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from beyond the arc. 

Chicago Bulls

• Noa Essengue

The No. 12 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, Essengue has appeared in all three of the Bulls’ games in Las Vegas and is averaging 12.7 points (on 41.9 percent shooting from the field), 5.3 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game.

Chicago is hoping that the rookie can become a rotation piece sooner rather than later, but he has some growth to do on the offensive end. 

Bucks vs. Bulls Prediction and Pick

Note: Before betting on NBA Summer League, it’s important to know that rotations are fluid and predicting player performance is volatile. As an avid NBA bettor, I suggest only placing small wagers for fun on these games since they are often hard to predict.

Chicago did suffer a blowout loss to an undefeated Toronto team earlier this summer, but it put up a smooth 114 points against the Pacers on Monday. 

I like the Bulls to at least cover in this matchup, as the Bucks’ best players in Summer League are former second-round selections like Andre Jackson Jr., Chris Livingston, and Tyler Smith.

Milwaukee squeaked out a win against a Nuggets team that has struggled this summer, and it has not been able to stay in games since.

Meanwhile, the Bulls have shown some offensive firepower, scoring over 90 points twice this summer. I think they can at least keep this game close, especially if Buzelis ends up suiting up for the third time in Las Vegas. 

Pick: Bulls +4.5 (-110 at DraftKings)

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on  BetStamp here.

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