The Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks will meet at an unusual time Friday afternoon, with tipoff from Fiserv Forum scheduled for 4 p.m. ET. The game was originally scheduled for 8 p.m., but the Bucks and the NBA moved it up to accommodate the Milwaukee Brewers, who are hosting Game 1 of the World Series later this evening.
The Bucks enter their home opener after starting the 2026-27 season with a loss at Washington, while Chicago is also looking to rebound from a rough opening night in Toronto.
The Bulls suffered a 135-92 defeat to the Raptors on Wednesday, falling behind 43-23 in the first quarter and never recovering. Matas Buzelis led Chicago with 17 points, while rookie Caleb Wilson scored 16 in his NBA debut. Norman Powell and Jalen Smith added 15 points apiece.
It was a difficult debut for new Bulls head coach Tiago Splitter, who took over for Billy Donovan during the offseason. Chicago struggled to establish any offensive consistency and allowed Toronto to score at least 26 points in all four quarters.
Milwaukee had a more competitive opener but ultimately fell 128-116 to the new-look Wizards on Wednesday night. The Bucks led 56-51 at halftime and carried a three-point advantage into the fourth quarter before Washington pulled away late.
Tyler Herro led Milwaukee with 24 points and nine assists, connecting on four three-pointers in his first regular season appearance with the team. Jaime Jaquez Jr., another offseason addition from the Miami Heat, finished with 22 points and seven rebounds.
Friday will also mark Milwaukee’s first home game under new head coach Taylor Jenkins, who is tasked with leading the franchise into a new era following the departure of Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Bulls vs. Bucks Odds Today
Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook lists Milwaukee as a short 1.5-point home favorite for Friday afternoon’s matchup:
Bulls vs. Bucks Prediction
Bucks Moneyline (-115): Neither team got the start it wanted to open the new campaign, but I think Milwaukee is in a much better position to bounce back in its home opener.
The Bulls were completely outplayed in Toronto, committing 27 turnovers while shooting just 4-36 (11.1%) from three-point range. They also surrendered 35 points off turnovers. Perhaps most concerning was the performance of Josh Giddey, who finished with just two points on 1-10 shooting while committing five turnovers.
The Bucks weren’t perfect against Washington, either, but they showed some encouraging signs offensively. Milwaukee knocked down 15 three-pointers and recorded 28 assists in the loss, with Herro already looking comfortable in his role as one of the team’s primary scoring options.
With the spread sitting at -1.5, I’ll avoid laying the points and take the Bucks to pick up their first win of the season on Friday afternoon.
- Best Bet: Milwaukee Bucks Moneyline (-115)
Bulls vs. Bucks Betting Splits
- Moneyline: Milwaukee has pulled in 59% of all ML bets and 77% of the handle.
- Spread: Bucks -1.5 accounts for 58% of spread bets and 78% of the money wagered.
- Total: Under 238.5 has drawn 69% of total bets and 72% of the handle.
Popular Player Props for CHI-MIL
Bulls rookie Caleb Wilson is dominating Friday’s most-bet player props, appearing in three of the top four selections at Hard Rock Bet:
- Caleb Wilson – Over 14.5 Points
- Caleb Wilson – Over 16.5 Points
- Norman Powell – Over 19.5 Points
- Caleb Wilson – Over 15.5 Points
- Tyler Herro – Over 54.5 Points + Assists + Rebounds
Bulls vs. Bucks Game Info
- đź“Ť Where: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI
- đź“… Date: Friday, October 23, 2026
- ⏰ Tipoff: 4:00 PM ET
- đź“ş TV/Streaming: NBA League Pass
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