The Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics meet on Christmas Day for a heavyweight matchup in the Eastern Conference. This is a matchup of the best in the East, as the No. 1 and No. 2 teams clash at TD Garden. TheSportsGeek has our Bucks vs. Celtics predictions and best bets for Sunday evening.
Before the Friday slate of games, the Bucks hold a half-game advantage on the Celtics. The Bucks are at 22-9 for the top record in the NBA. Boston is not far behind, with a mark of 22-10. This has not been the best stretch for the Celtics recently, though.
the greatest NBA Christmas commercial of ALL TIME pic.twitter.com/fELUK8VubF
— Hoops (@HoopMixOnly) December 23, 2022
via@HoopMixOnly
The Celtics have lost three straight games and five of their previous six games going into Friday. We’ll see if they can end the skid before Christmas against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Despite the recent troubles, the Celtics are still a leading contender in the East.
They just have to wake up and get interested again. The Celtics have lost straight up in games where they’ve been huge favorites recently. As a 13 and 11-point favorite against the Orlando Magic, the Celtics were losers in both outings.
Instead of bouncing back with a win, they dropped a 117-112 final to the Indiana Pacers as 9.5-point favorites on Wednesday. Their only win since beating the Suns on December 7, 125-98, is a 122-118 win over the Lakers in overtime.
The Bucks have won three of their previous six games, so they have not been flourishing recently, either. The offensive production has been too sporadic at times for the Bucks.
Head below for our best Bucks vs. Celtics betting pick and predictions on Christmas Day.
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Boston Celtics Live Betting Odds:
| Teams | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee Bucks | +4 (-110) | OFF | Over 224 (-110) |
| Boston Celtics | -4 (-110) | OFF | Under 224 (-110) |
| Team Data | Milwaukee Bucks | Boston Celtics |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Record | 22-9 | 22-10 |
| ATS Record | 17-12-2 | 17-14-1 |
| Away/Home Record | 8-6 | 11-5 |
| ATS Away/Home | 5-7-2 | 8-7-0 |
| Points Per Game | 112.9 | 118.0 |
| Points Against Per Game | 108.9 | 112.3 |
| Field Goal % | 46.2 | 47.7 |
| Three Point % | 35.3 | 37.9 |
Bucks vs. Celtics Predictions
Celtics fans have to be considered just a little over their team’s recent play. This is after it looked like nothing was going to stop the Celtics. After blowing out the Phoenix Suns, there wasn’t a concern in Boston at all.
Jayson Tatum just dunked all over Aaron Nesmith 😳
🎥 @NBA | @Celtics pic.twitter.com/FMmRYtJEeZ
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) December 22, 2022
via@TheAthletic
Since then, they’ve lost five of six games. Is this a sign of things to come in the future? Nope. The best teams in the NBA will go through cold spells. The Celtics are going to be fine, and they might be able to show it on Christmas at TD Garden.
The Celtics Will Be Interested
Part of the problem for the Celtics lately is that they have not looked interested. Boston is going through the motions without too much effort. The Magic are not the better team because of back-to-back wins over this Celtics squad.
The Celtics are one of the most potent offenses in the NBA. They have scored an average of 118 points per game for second-best in the NBA. Boston has been sharp from three, with a three-point percentage of 37.9%.
Hitting freebies has been a specialty of the Celtics. They lead the NBA in free throw percentage at 83%. Conversely, the Bucks are an abysmal 73.9% for 27th from the charity stripe.
At home this season, the Celtics are scoring 121.8 points per game on 49.4% shooting. Expect this offense to be ready to perform on Christmas Day. They should be interested in looking much better on a national stage.
Khris Middleton’s Status For Christmas?
Middleton is currently listed as doubtful to play on Friday. He is dealing with a knee injury and trying to play through the pain after missing time earlier this year. Middleton aggravated his knee again, though, and there is a good chance he misses this matchup.
Giannis Antetokounmpo postgame snippets from Cleveland.
He talked about how him looking to score worked best, playing without Khris Middleton and the small-ball lineup Coach Bud used to get the Bucks back in the game. @basketbllnews pic.twitter.com/GnxDqALOm6
— Spencer Davies (@SpinDavies) December 22, 2022
via@SpinDavies
The Bucks have not been particularly prolific offensively this season. They have been fine without Middleton at times this season. However, he would be helpful versus a talented Celtics squad.
After a 114-106 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, the Bucks are 17th in the league with 112.9 points per game. They are shooting 46.2% from the field for 21st in the NBA. The free shots at the charity stripe have not been going well, too.
Bucks vs. Celtics Betting Pick:
The public is likely to fade the Celtics on Christmas. Recency bias is a strong factor when it comes to betting on the NBA. They will not like the Celtics until heating up again. All of the value is lost at that point.
The Celtics have been in a slump, but Christmas Day at TD Garden is the perfect spot for them to get back to form. This matchup on national television should peak their attention. Expect the Celtics to play like themselves here at home.
Our Bucks vs. Celtics prediction is a win and cover for Boston by a score of 118-111.
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