The Milwaukee Bucks host the Boston Celtics for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Saturday afternoon in the 2022 NBA playoffs. Milwaukee won Game 1 of the series before Boston responded with a victory in Game 2 at home. The Bucks have the next two games at home, putting pressure on the visiting Celtics. Khris Middleton (knee) is listed as out of Milwaukee, with George Hill (ab) likely. Marcus Smart (thigh) is listed as likely for Boston.
Caesars Sportsbook lists Milwaukee as the two-point favorite at home for this forecast at 3:30 pm ET. The total number of points Vegas believes will be scored, or the over-under, is 211.5 at the latest Celtics vs. bucks. Before choosing between Celtics and Bucks, you should check out the NBA predictions and betting tips from SportsLine’s advanced computer simulation model.
SportsLine’s projection model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned more than $10,000 in earnings for $100 players on their top NBA picks over the past three seasons. The model enters the third full week of the 2022 NBA playoffs riding an impressive 86-58 streak across all of the NBA’s top-rated picks, returning more than $2,100. Anyone who follows him has seen huge gains.
Now, the model has set his sights on Bucks vs. Celtics, and just pinned their NBA playoff picks and predictions. You can head over to SportsLine now to check out the model picks. Now, here are various NBA odds and betting lines for Celtics vs. Bucks:
- Difference between Celtics and Bucks: Bucks -2
- Celtics vs Bucks over-under: 211.5 puntos
- Celtics vs. Money Line Bucks: Bucks -130, Celtics +110
- BOS: Celtics go 4-2 against the spread in playoff games
- MIL: Bucks are 4-3 against the spread in playoff games
Why the Celtics can cover
The Celtics have intriguing offensive potential. Boston is generating an assist on 74.2 percent of the field goals in the series against the Bucks, an elite figure, and the Celtics are hitting nearly 38 percent of 3-point attempts in the postseason. Boston was also in the top 10 offenses in the regular season, with a pair of stellar forwards in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown who can create efficient shots. At the other end of the court, Boston is undoubtedly elite.
The Celtics led the NBA in defensive efficiency, field goal percentage allowed, 3-point percentage allowed, two-point percentage allowed, and assists allowed during the regular season marathon. Boston is also frustrating Milwaukee’s offense by holding the Bucks to under 0.96 points per possession this season. The Celtics are experts at forcing missed shots, and Boston keeps Milwaukee off the offensive board with a 74.5 percent defensive rebounding rate in the series. Boston also has several bodies to throw at Giannis Antetokounmpo, with Grant Williams, Al Horford, Tatum and Robert Williams III all operating at a very high level on the defensive end.
Why the Bucks can cover
Milwaukee has a roster capable of shining in two ways. On offense, the Bucks ranked in the top five in the NBA in offense this season, averaging 114.3 points per 100 possessions. Milwaukee is prolific from 3-point range, shooting 36.6 percent of attempts in 2021-22, and the Bucks ranked in the top 10 in 2-point accuracy and free throw creation in the regular season. It all revolves around Antetokounmpo, who averaged 29.9 points, 11.6 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game as an MVP finalist, and the Bucks are also terrific on defense.
Milwaukee leads the 2022 NBA playoffs with a 96.8 defensive rating and the Bucks are securing 80.5 percent of the defensive rebounds available in the postseason. In the series, the Bucks limit Boston to an elite 1.03 points per possession, and Milwaukee is forcing a 17.7 percent turnover on defensive possessions. With Brook Lopez now at full strength from him, the Bucks are almost impossible to score at the rim, and the Bucks are now switching to a friendly home environment.
How to make Bucks vs. Celtics
SportsLine’s model leans on the total, projecting a combined 220 points. The model also says that one side of the differential hits in more than 50 percent of the simulations. You can only watch the selection of Celtics vs. Model Bucks at SportsLine.
So who wins Bucks vs. Celtic? And which side of the difference affects more than 50 percent of the simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Bucks vs. Celtics must jump, all from the model that has crushed their NBA picks, and find out.
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