NBA Free Pick : Bulls at Bucks 1/12

• 12 January 2016

Our NBA Free Pick examines what happens when the yoke is lifted during a long NBA season.  The Chicago Bulls (22-14) are no longer the defensive minded team that Tom coached for many years.  They are certainly more free wheeling and it has shown in their last two efforts.  What downward trend is on the Bulls that has caused the opening line on the Bucks to drop from + 4 1/2 to +3 on a Tuesday?  Thank you for tuning into HRWager and we will look at whether this sharp line movement is indeed the way to follow on 1/12 for our NBA Free Pick of the Day.

NBA Free Pick : Two Items to Embrace

1. 120-66.  This was how the Bucks were closed out by the Bulls in the playoffs.  Chicago’s first trip back to Milwaukee and the Bucks have extreme motivation to correct this.
2. The 114 Chicago let in against a Wizards team that was missing two starters is bad.  Bored, not motivated to play defense, and just get points seems like the Bulls in January.

Total Has Gone Up as Well

No surprise that the opener of 201 1/2 has vaulted to 204.  Last meeting in Chicago saw both teams score a ton of points inside the paint.  Interior defense was certainly lacking.  This is good because Carter Williams finally cooled off for the Bucks against the Knicks.  Monroe however was monster with 28 points and ten boards as he wanted to show up against the #4 overall pick of the Knicks.  Get a couple of those Carter shots down and we are in business.

One more game for Noah to get back into form after missing nine games due to a shoulder injury.  Last chance for the Bucks to really push the Bulls around the interior is this evening.  Any hope for the current regime to get through to their young team is tonight.  If they can not rally the troops and appeal to professionl pride after that 120-66 crushing and it might be done for the season for the Bucks.  Important game for the home team.  Take Milwuakee plus three tonight.  Good fortune and we will see you later today here at HRW.