Game: Milwaukee Bucks @ Boston Celtics
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Odds: Bucks +6, Celtics -6
Total: 234.5
In a matchup between two division leaders tonight, Milwaukee travels to Boston. The Bucks are 10-4 and lead the Central Division. Boston is 11-3 and leads the Atlantic Division. Giannis Antetokounmpo will go for his third straight 40-plus-point scoring night. He had 40 points in the Bucks 132-125 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday. Antetokounmpo then scored 42 points in his team’s 142-129 victory over the Washington Wizards on Monday night. He shot 20-of-23 from the field, had 13 rebounds and eight assists. He’s averaging 30.2 points per game this year.
In addition last night, Khris Middleton scored 18 points, Bobby Portis added 17 and 8 rebounds off the bench, and Damian Lillard was also in double figures with 22 points. After a 5-4 start, Milwaukee has won five straight games to take a 1.5-game lead in the Central Division. Indiana is second with an 8-5 record.
The Celtics’ six-game winning streak came to an end on Monday when they lost 121-118 in overtime against Charlotte. Boston gave up an 18-point lead in the first half. After being fouled on a three-point attempt, Jayson Tatum missed one of the three free throws with 5.2 seconds remaining that would have tied the game. Tatum had a career-high 31 first-half points on his way to 45 for the night. Tatum also had 13 rebounds in the game and is averaging 28.2 points and 9.0 rebounds per game this season.
Payton Pritchard had 21 points and five three-pointers for the Celtics, but they wasted an 11-point lead with six minutes left in regulation. Pritchard shot 5-of-8 from behind the arc. Due to personal matters, Derrick White did not play in Boston’s loss to Charlotte, and it is unknown if he will play against Milwaukee. White is listed as probable for tonight. He is averaging 13.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game this season.
Boston is now 6-1 SU in its last seven games and 5-0 SU in its last five at home. The Bucks are 5-0 SU and 4-1 ATS in their last five. They have not been strong against the number against Boston, going 0-5 ATS in the last five against the Celtics. The Over has hit in 15 of the last 20 Bucks games and 5 of the last seven against Boston. Milwaukee (119.2) and Boston (117.2) rank No. 6 and No. 7 in the NBA in scoring this season.
Milwaukee is just 1-4 SU in its last five against Boston. They have struggled on the road too. The Bucks have only covered the spread in 2 of its last 9 visits to TD Garden in Boston. Before last night’s loss to Charlotte in overtime, Boston had not allowed more than 107 points in its last seven games. Not surprisingly, the Celtics went 6-1 SU in those games.
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