Boston Celtics vs. Milwaukee Bucks Picks, Predictions, Odds

Regular season NBA action resumes on Thursday night with a heavyweight Eastern Conference showdown between the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks. Coverage begins from Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee at 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT.

The Bucks are 0-8 ATS in their last eight home matchups against Boston. (Getty)

BOSTON CELTICS vs. MILWAUKEE BUCKS BETTING PREDICTION

With just a handful of games left in the regular season, the Celtics and Bucks still find themselves jockeying for the top spot in the conference, as the Bucks currently boast a 2.5-game lead over Boston in the win column, and a victory over the C’s on Thursday night could pretty much put the nail in the coffin in regards to homecourt advantage.

For most of the year, the Celtics appeared to have a solid grip on the top spot in the East, ranked Top 4 in both offensive and defensive rating (117.8 ORtg, 111.8 DRtg), but lately, they’ve fallen apart at the seams, entering Thursday following losses in seven of their last 15 contests, and it’s not like their schedule has gotten significantly tougher, considering they lost matchups to the Rockets, Wizards, Jazz, Nets, Cavs, and Knicks during that span.

Truth be told, they just haven’t shot the ball well as of late, and that’s bound to change, considering the Celtics rank 21st in overall field goal percentage and 18th from long-range since February 26th (47% FG, 36% 3FG), which has been a bit jarring for a team that ranks 4th in effective field goal percentage on the year (56.5% EFG).

While on the other hand, the Bucks currently own the top spot in the conference with a record of 54-21 on the year, despite ranking just 13th in offensive rating and 12th in three-point percentage (+4.1 NetRtg, 37% 3FG), not exactly your typical clips for the team with the best record in the NBA.

The physical dominance of Giannis Antetokounmpo breeds a very high level of consistency for the Bucks during the regular season; plain and simple, nobody wants to guard him. The NBA season is 82 games long, and in the grand scheme of things, the risk of standing in the way of every drive tends to outweigh the reward, especially for teams that aren’t specifically equipped to defend against forces in the frontcourt like Giannis.

Fortunately, though, Boston isn’t like most teams. Unlike the cluttered Western Conference, it’s no secret who the Top 3 squads in the East are at the moment. It’s the Celtics, Bucks, and Sixers, and there’s a very wide gap separating that trio from the rest of the field in regards to title futures.

The Bucks and Sixers are both anchored by MVP caliber big men, and because of that, the Celtics have assembled all the pieces necessary to exploit powerhouse frontcourts.

Will the C’s bounce back on Thursday night? Only time will tell. All things considered, the Celtics have underperformed in a very loud manner as of late, but they are beyond due to snap out of their slump. Don’t be fooled by their recent struggles, the Boston’ team that we’ve seen the last few weeks is just a flash in the pan. It’s all a numbers game, the shots will fall eventually. Take the Celtics in this one.

Score Prediction: Celtics 124, Bucks 119
Best Bet: Celtics +2.5 (-110)

Take Boston!
BET NOW!

BOSTON CELTICS vs. MILWAUKEE BUCKS BETTING ODDS

BOSTON CELTICS vs. MILWAUKEE BUCKS BETTING RESOURCES

Date: Thursday, March 30, 2023
Venue: Fiserv Forum
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
TV-Time: TNT, 7:30 p.m. ET
Matchup
Expert Picks

NBA Finals Betting Odds

BOSTON CELTICS vs. MILWAUKEE BUCKS BETTING STATS

Boston Celtics
SU: 52-24
ATS: 40-35-1
O/U: 39-36-1
PPG: 118
OPPG: 112

Milwaukee Bucks
SU: 54-21
ATS: 42-33
O/U: 36-39
PPG: 116.8
OPPG: 112.4

Straight Up (SU), Against the Spread (ATS), Over-Under (O/U)
Points Per Game (PPG), Opponents Points Per Game (OPPG)

The Celtics are 7-1 ATS in their last eight matchups against Milwaukee. (Getty)
Updated on 03/28/2024
Bonus Code VIBONUS1600 Claim Now

BOSTON CELTICS vs. MILWAUKEE BUCKS BETTING TRENDS

  • The Celtics are 4-2 ATS in their last six games.
  • The total has gone OVER in four of Boston's last six games.
  • The Celtics are 5-2 SU in their last seven games.
  • The Bucks are 5-1 SU in their last six games.
  • The total has gone OVER in 12 of Milwaukee's last 18 matchups against Boston.
  • The Bucks are 14-2 SU in their last 16 home games.
  • The Bucks are 0-8 ATS in their last eight home matchups against Boston.
  • The Celtics are 7-1 ATS in their last eight matchups against Milwaukee.
  • The Celtics are 4-2 SU in their last six matchups against Milwaukee.