addPhoto("https://publish.nba.com/celtics/sites/celtics/files/smartuntitled-2_0.jpg", "Marcus Smart backs down Pat Connaughton. 21+ only. The games point total is set at 225. The Greek Freak is averaging 37.3 points on 59.8% shooting over that stretch while also tallying 13.4 rebounds and 5.5 assists along the way. A 15-game winning streak by the Milwaukee Bucks has caused the Celtics to drop down to the No. Boston will look to clog the paint to prevent Antetokounmpo from his typical onslaught close to the hoop, and Horford will be a crucial piece to that puzzle. Tatum will join Jaylen Brown (facial fracture) and Marcus Smart (right ankle sprain) among the sidelined C's, while starting big men . It will certainly be one of the biggest challenges of Horfords career, but he also knows that he won't be taking it on alone. If its not the Bucks, its still the Miami Heat for me. On February 14, they have an even tougher opponent in the Milwaukee Bucks. Its a small sample size, which speaks to their health overall this season, but in 265 possessions, the Celtics have a -5.9 Point Differential and score just 107.9 points per 100 possessions, per Cleaning the Glass. Last year, the Bucks overcame a 19-point deficit to defeat Celtics 117-113 behind Giannis Antetokounmpo's 36 points, 12 rebounds and five assists. Donovan Mitchell has been a world-beater this season and is a battle-tested playoff performer, and the frontcourt duo of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley have shown the ability to put stress on the Celtics frontcourt depth in a way few teams can manage. In their last five meetings, the Celtics are 4-1 against Milwaukee (including playoffs). Their defeat handed the 43-17 Milwaukee Bucks, owners of an NBA -best 14-game winning streak, control of the No. With an abundance of sheer star power on display, there are bound to be a handful of must-see matchups in this series, and here are five of them that could dictate the outcome. Milwaukee has also slightly shaded towards the Under this year at 29-27. Bet Now, B) Get one no-sweat NBA same-game parlay every day at DraftKings! Jayson Tatum and the Celtics' stifling defense shut down the . The Eastern Conference-leading Boston Celtics (41-16) will look to knock off their closest rival in that conference, the Milwaukee Bucks (39-17), on Tuesday, February 14, 2023 at 7:30 PM ET on TNT. One of the reasons why Milwaukee must continue to be on its defensive A-game is because it will be missing one of its most potent offensive weapons. But it is something to keep an eye on, nonetheless. The Milwaukee Bucks are the most talented team in the conference outside of Boston, and the only team besides Philadelphia that can make an argument for having the best individual player in a series against the Celtics. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. The total opened at 226 and much like the spread, the market is showing a wide range on the total as of the time of this writing. Boston avenges its two overtime losses from early on in the season. In a series of . As mentioned above, Giannis Antetokounmpo has been on fire lately. Despite those absences, the C's still took the Bucks to overtime and lost 131-125. The Boston Celtics are coming off of a big win against the Grizzlies, and on February 14, they have an even tougher opponent in the Bucks (Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images). Antetokounmpo leads the Bucks with 12.3 rebounds. Antetokounmpo will have to take on even more responsibility than he is typically accustomed to with Middleton on the sidelines, and he will have his hands full with this reputable defense. However, he should benefit both from getting his feet wet in those two games and then having a full extra week to prepare for the second round. The winner of this matchup could well decide the NBA . The Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks will meet in the playoffs with a spot in the 2022 Eastern Conference Finals on the line. If you choose to make use of any information on this website including online sports betting services from any websites that may be featured on this website, we strongly recommend that you carefully check your local laws before doing so. Theres no stopping the Greek Freak; however, it is possible to slow him down. The last time these two teams played was Feb. 14 in Milwaukee, when the Celtics were without Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Al Horford and Marcus Smart. Clevelands athleticism and versatility poses a daunting matchup problem, specifically Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. The Celtics won the last matchup 139-118 on Dec. 25. As a whole, they've played to the second-best net rating in the league during this time. Williams guarded Antetokounmpo for 62.4 partial possession this season, the most among any Celtic, per NBA.com/stats. Their starting lineup just has a noticeable hole without him in there. The Celtics are 24-11 in Eastern Conference play. On the other side, the Bucks have lost two straight without Middleton. Mobley and Allen are elite defenders and rim protectors that can make life difficult on the Jays driving to the rim. newsletter, Al Horford continues to be the Celtics backbone: you cant put into words what he is for our team. These teams have met in the postseason three times since the start of the 2017-18 campaign. Oh, and they also still have maybe the best coach in basketball in Eric Spoelstra. By Tim Sheils 04/26/2022 2 Mins Read. Getting Williams back to full form will be crucial in this series because the Bucks will be a far more threatening force around the rim than the perimeter-oriented Nets. Milwaukees defense has slipped over the past two seasons, as it went from having the best defensive rating in the NBA during the 2019-20 campaign to ninth last season, all the way down to 14th this season. . Visit ESPN for the game preview of the Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Boston Celtics NBA basketball game on March 1, 2023. . The Milwaukee Bucks lost Giannis Antetokounmpo to a knee injury early in the first quarter on Friday against the Miami Heat, but it appears he's not dealing with any serious ailment. His favorite leagues to cover are the NHL, NBA and NFL, and has a soft spot for fantasy football specifically. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Celtics vs. Cavaliers Prediction & Pick. Despite the Bucks' impressive win streak over the last couple weeks, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith would still pick the Celtics to beat them in a playoff series, even if Antetokounmpo averaged 40 points per game in that . On February 14, they have an even tougher opponent in the Milwaukee Bucks. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. Hes averaging 23 points on 52% from the field and a staggering 51% from beyond the arc. The Bucks are dealing with some missing players too, but theres arent nearly as bad. Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA). Boston posted the second-best offensive rating, the second-best offensive rebounding percentage, and the fourth-most assists per game among all 16 teams in the first round. Cavaliers (4th Seed)2.) Sign up for the I think its entirely possible that Boston lets its players rest as this is the first game of a back-to-back set as the team heads into the All-Star Break. Ime Udoka has won his first playoff series, and went undefeated against his former team. Bucks (2nd Seed)4.) Milwaukee carries a 10-game winning streak . Antetokounmpo has a good chance of continuing that success considering how he averaged 32.9 PTS/13.5 REB/6.3 AST in his last 10 games against the Celtics. Jayson Tatum ejected in ugly Celtics loss to Knicks: I just told him this was probably the best officiated game Ive been a part of. Even though the Cavs can pose some interesting problems, I dont really view them as being ready or experienced enough to compete in a playoff environment, especially against the Celtics. The Celtics will employ the same wall of defenders against Antetokounmpo that held firm against him in the 2018 . BetMGM is showing a 224.5 while other books are at 225.5. The Celts have been road underdogs just three times this season, and have gone 2-1 against the spread in those games. The Bucks and Celtics are both top five in defensive rating, which is what wins in the NBA playoffs. After racking up wins against the likes of the Nuggets, Heat, Lakers, and Clippers (twice), Milwaukee was likely looking forward to their toughest matchup yet since their co-stars' return: a date on national television with the league-leading Boston Celtics. Devon Platana Tue Feb 14 2023. ", "Maddie Meyer/Getty Images ", "rob"); After sweeping the Brooklyn Nets out of the first round, the Boston Celtics are ready for Round 2. Adding in Holiday, a healthy Middleton, and an elite defense is just more fuel for the fire. 15 Most Clutch Players in Franchise History. Would the Celtics be Favorites vs the Bucks? Theyve won 10 straight games ahead of this matchup and just went 3-0 on a west coast road trip, most recently picking up a 119-106 victory over the LA Clippers on Friday. Below is the complete schedule for the NBA Finals, with matchups, dates, game times and where to watch. Cleveland won the first two meetings in overtime. The Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics are officially set to meet in round two of the postseason after they each took care of business in their respective first round matchups. Theyre also 15th and 16th in pace respectively, so I dont think this game will be up and down, I expect it to have the feel of a playoff game and be one of the best of the day. The two best teams in the NBA Eastern Conference will go head-to-head on Tuesday, Feb. 14 as the Boston Celtics pay a visit to the Milwaukee Bucks. Play now! The Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks played one of the closest and toughest series of the entire playoffs last year in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Handling business against the Bucks will be difficult without their three best players. The Boston Celtics are coming off of a big win against the Memphis Grizzlies. Boston has a 24.3% chance to win this contest based on the moneylines implied probability. Boston won a seven-game, first-round thriller in 2018, and Milwaukee exacted revenge the next spring with a 4-1 victory in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Nevertheless, Im also siding with the Bucks on the spread. When it scores more than 111.6 points, Boston is 24-13-2 against the spread and 33-6 overall. I dont see how any team in the Eastern Conference will beat either the Bucks or the Celtics in a seven-game series. The Celtics MVP candidate was tossed amidst his third rough shooting night in a row. Visit ESPN for the game recap of the Boston Celtics vs. Milwaukee Bucks NBA basketball game on May 13, 2022. . Milwaukee has been victorious in 35, or 79.5%, of the 44 contests it has been chosen as favorites in this season. For a second straight postseason, a second-round series featuring the Milwaukee Bucks feels like a potential Finals matchup.. Last year was the Nets. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, along with the Philadelphia 76ers, and every game is of the utmost importance in terms of playoff . The Cavaliers won 114-113 in overtime in the last matchup on Nov. 2. The Celtics average 6.0 more points per game (117.6) than the Bucks give up to opponents (111.6). Things arent made easier by the fact that the Bucks have won seven straight home games, outscoring opponents by an average margin of 10.3 points. Celtics vs Bucks Prediction: Bucks 119, Celtics 107, Celtics vs Bucks Picks: Bucks -9.5 (Best Value: -110 at FanDuel) & Under 226.5 Points Points (Best Value: -110 at FanDuel). Horford will be tasked with guarding Antetokounmpo at times, and at 6-foot-9, he poses a more lengthy threat than the 6-foot-6 Williams. He was most effective when guarding players 25-29 feet away from the rim where he held the Bucks to 33% shooting on 12 shots. Id still take the Celtics over either team, but there will be plenty of challenges on the road back to the finals. The only matchup this season where both teams were mostly healthy was a 139-118 win for the Celtics at TD Garden on Christmas Day. They will be without Jaylen Brown (face), Marcus Smart (ankle) and Danilo Gallinari (ACL). Filling his void will be difficult, but the Bucks do have several role players who are capable of stepping up, as they did in Games 3, 4, and 5 against Chicago. With that being said, there has to be one primary defender on the Greek Freak at all times, and that responsibility will fall likely fall on Horford whenever hes in the game. The Cavs might be a little too inexperienced and the Sixers stars have failed in the playoffs before, but all it takes is one great run to change those narratives forever. This spread has ballooned from Bucks -4 to Bucks -9.5 with Tatum popping on the report as doubtful alongside other players having uncertain injury designations. Barring injuries, it seems to be a foregone conclusion that they will match up in the Eastern Conference Finals. The winner of this matchup could well decide the NBA champion, just as the Heat and Celtics did 11 years ago to conclude the 2011-12 lockout season. The Celtics won the first two games at TD Garden before the Bucks captured the latter two at Fiserv Forum. It includes total games, wins and losses, scores, overtimes, dates and evolution of their head to head record. The latest rankings from NBA.com have the Bucks at one and the Celtics at two. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. In a matchup with critical playoff implications as these teams fight to be the top seed in the East, is there a betting edge? 76ers (3rd Seed), 5 out of the Top 6 Defenses are East Teams. Believe it or not, Im kind of concerned about the Sixers this year (and the Bucks, of course). Boston averages only 13.5 turnovers per game while also generating 26.3 assists per contest. Grayson Allen Put up 49 points combined in Games 3 and 4, Pat Connauton shot 6-of-9 from deep in Game 5, and Bobby Portis averaged 15.3 points and 14.3 points per game during Middletons absence. Your favorite teams, topics, and players all on your favorite mobile devices. Orlando had snapped the Boston Celtics' nine-game winning streak on Jan. 23 and ended the Philadelphia 76ers' seven-game streak on Jan. 30, but the Magic couldn't stop the Bucks. In Bostons 122-113 win on Nov. 12, the Celtics were missing Jaylen Brown, and the Bucks were without Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. Middleton continues to come off the bench as he returns to game speed and finds his rhythm, as he handled the task rather amicably. However, the Cs have dominated from a full series standpoint, having eliminated the Bucks five times in seven opportunities. Feb 27, 2023 Feb 27, 2023 Updated 4 min ago 0 Kevin and Donnie break down how much better the Boston Celtics are compared to the Milwaukee Bucks heading into the back end of the NBA regular season . Knowing that most would likely say the Bucks, I also asked for their next choices. The Boston Celtics' depth has been tested over the past several games -- but the toughest test will come Tuesday night in Milwaukee. The Bucks beat the Phoenix Suns at home Sunday afternoon for their 14th consecutive victory -- the longest win streak of any team during the 2022-23 season so far. The stage is set for an epic Eastern Conference Semifinals matchup between the No. Im also backing the total to go under 226.5 points tonight. Boston and Milwaukees evenness dates back several in their recent history. And we don't have to wait too long for the series to tip off. CS Media Limited All Rights Reserved. But the Boston Celtics, the league's best team, were next on the schedule. Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) celebrates after making a basket as teammate Al Horford (42) and Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) look on during the second half of an NBA . 1 team in the Eastern Conference and the Milwaukee Bucks took over that spot with the NBA-Best 14 game winning streak. Something went wrong. It will be Marcus Smarts job to pester him around the perimeter, Horfords job to be physical with him in the post, and should Antetokounmpo get through them both, itll be Rob Williams job to be ready to meet him at the rim. In their time matched up, the Greek Freak scored 10 points on 4-of-10 shooting, with three of those misses coming from behind the arc. Obviously, the Heat would also be motivated to gain revenge after losing Game 7 to Boston at home last season. 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