The Boston Celtics (53-23) will try to prolong their six-game winning streak against the Milwaukee Bucks (41-36) at BMO Harris Bradley Center. The game starts at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, April 3, 2018, and will air on Fox Sports Net Wisconsin.
The Over/Under (O/U) for the game has been set at 207.5 points with Milwaukee opening as a 2-point favorite.
Boston Celtics at Milwaukee Bucks ATS Prediction
In the Celtics’ last matchup, they topped the Toronto Raptors, 110-99. Boston’s 4.8 turnover percentage was their largest advantage over Toronto, who had a mark of 14.3. The Celtics’ mark was better than their season average of 12.4. With 25 points on 7-for-15 shooting, Marcus Morris was Boston’s high scorer.
The Bucks lost a tough one against the Denver Nuggets in their last outing, 128-125. Denver made good use of their 46 trips to the charity stripe, making 37 of them (80.4 percent). Milwaukee, meanwhile, was 23-27 (85.2 percent). Milwaukee’s Jabari Parker put together a good game, leading the team in scoring with 35 points on 14-for-23 shooting.
Half-court execution will be at a premium when two of the league’s slowest-paced teams clash. Milwaukee currently ranks 25th in possessions per game (97.9) and Boston is 22nd (98.1).
Boston heads into the game with records of 53-23 straight up (SU) and 46-27-3 against the spread (ATS). There does not appear to be a trend for games featuring the Celtics in regards to the projected point total, as there has been an even split between games finishing over and under.
Meanwhile, Milwaukee is 41-36 SU and 33-39-5 ATS. Of the Bucks’ 77 games, 42 have finished over the O/U total.
Both teams have had a player take their game to the next level over their last five games. Terry Rozier (18.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.8 steals) has been fantastic for the Celtics while Eric Bledsoe (21.8 points, 5.4 assists and 2.0 steals) has made solid contributions to the Bucks.
The Celtics have won two out of three against the Bucks this season, including an 11-point victory in their last matchup. Boston covered as a 5-point favorite and the game finished with a total of 211 points, which was 7.5 points above the projected point total of 203.5 points. Boston had a much better offensive rebounding percentage (24.2 vs. 7.5). Milwaukee, meanwhile, had a better turnover percentage (9.2 vs. 13.9). Giannis Antetokounmpo scored a game-high 40 points.
Boston Celtics at Milwaukee Bucks Betting Pick
Free NBA Pick: SU Winner – Bucks, ATS Winner – Celtics, O/U – Over
Notes
Betting Notes:
On the road, Boston is 27-11 ATS with 20 unders, 17 overs and 1 push.
At home, Milwaukee is 12-23-3 ATS with 20 overs, 17 unders and 1 push.
In games where they allow under 100 points, Boston is 35-4 and Milwaukee is 16-5.
The Bucks are 35-19 when they score more than 100 points, while the Celtics are 40-10.
Milwaukee ranks second in points off turnovers per game (18.4) while Boston ranks 25th (15.0).
The Bucks rank second in steals per game (8.8) while the Celtics rank 23rd (7.2).
Milwaukee ranks seventh in points in the paint per game (46.9) while Boston ranks 28th (39.2).
The Bucks rank sixth in fast break points per game (14.6) while the Celtics rank 26th (9.4).
Boston ranks ninth in rebounds per game (44.4) while Milwaukee ranks 28th (39.5).
The Celtics rank fifth in second chance points allowed per game (11.2) while the Bucks rank 22nd (13.1).
Boston ranks ninth in three pointers attempted per game (30.7) while Milwaukee ranks 25th (24.8).
The Bucks rank fifth in blocks per game (5.4) while the Celtics rank 18th (4.5).
Boston ranks fourth in assists allowed per game (20.9) while Milwaukee ranks 16th (23.4).
Bettings Trends:
In their last five games, Boston is 4-1 ATS with 3 unders and 2 overs.
Milwaukee is 4-1 ATS with 4 overs and 1 under over their last five games.
The Celtics’ average margin of victory in their last five games has been 7.6, up from 4.1 for the season.
During their last five games, the Bucks have scored an average of 113.8 points per game (7.3 above their season average) and allowed an average of 113.0 points per game (6.3 above their season average).
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