After taking Game 3 of this best-of-seven Eastern Conference semi-finals series, the Bucks shoot to go up 3-1 when the teams meet for Game 4 Monday night in Milwaukee.
The Bucks began this series as a +150 underdog to win it, with Boston giving -180 as the favorite. Now up two games to one and playing Game 4 at home, Milwaukee is lined as a -165 favorite, with the Celtics getting +145 as the dog.
Here’s how we homeworked this game with our free NBA playoffs betting pick.
NBA Betting Odds
The NBA playoffs betting lines opened Milwaukee as a one-point favorite for this Game 4, with an over/under of right around 210. Early betting action then bumped that total a bucket to 212.
Celtics-Bucks Game 4 Betting Preview
Milwaukee grabbed a 2-1 lead in this series with a 103-101 Game 3 victory Saturday afternoon. The Bucks actually trailed Boston 50-46 at the half Saturday, then used a 34-16 run to lead 80-66 late in the third quarter. The Celtics then went on a 34-19 spurt to go up 100-99 with two minutes left, but the Bucks scored the next two buckets to retake the lead, then survived as Boston came up luckless on two chances off a missed free-throw as the last few seconds ran off the clock.
Boston actually got a ball through the hoop but just after the buzzer.
Milwaukee only shot 40 percent from the floor Saturday but held the Celtics to just 37 percent FG shooting. The Bucks also out-scored Boston 52-32 in the paint.
Saturday’s game pushed the spread, with Milwaukee favored by two points and played under a total of 212.
With Saturday’s victory, the Bucks are now 6-2 SU, 4-3-1 ATS this playoff season.
With Saturday’s loss, the Celtics are now 5-2 SU, 4-2-1 ATS this postseason.
These two teams both won 51 games during the regular season and split the season series two games apiece. But Boston played 4-0 ATS, covering two close games as underdogs. So the Celtics are now 5-1-1 ATS against Milwaukee this season.
On the injury front, the Bucks are is still playing without F Khris Middleton (20 ppg this season), who tweaked a knee in that first-round series against Chicago and hasn’t played since. And yet the Bucks are 5-1 SU, 4-1-1 ATS without him.
- Get more details: Boston vs. Milwaukee Game 4 Betting Stats
NBA Betting Trends
Boston played 23-18 SU, 26-15 ATS on the road during the regular season, and is 2-1 SU, 2-0-1 ATS on the road this postseason.
Milwaukee played 27-14 SU, 16-25 ATS at home during the regular season, and is 3-1 SU but 1-2-1 ATS at home this postseason.
Totals Report
- The overs played 43-39 in Bucks games this season, which averaged 228 total points.
- The totals split 40-40 in Celtics games this season, which averaged 216 points.
- The Under is 3-0 in this series, as the games are averaging 196 total points.
