MILWAUKEE BUCKS VS. BOSTON CELTICS EXPERT PICK AND PREDICTIONS — November 10, 2024

MILWAUKEE BUCKS VS. BOSTON CELTICSEXPERT PICK AND PREDICTIONS — November 10, 2024 — Greetings, basketball fans. Welcome back to our NBA coverage here at Godzilla Wins. One of the games on tap from Sunday’s slate features the Milwaukee Bucks (2-7 SU, 3-6 ATS) hosting the Boston Celtics (8-2 SU, 5-5 ATS).

Here is a look at which squad has the edge going into this matchup and why.

Tipoff

When: Sunday, November 10, 2024 @ 3:30 PM ET

Where: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI

TV: NBCS-BOS and FDSWI

Milwaukee Bucks vs. Boston Celtics Odds

Odds courtesy of DraftKings

Milwaukee Bucks vs. Boston Celtics — Postseason Stats & Betting Trends

The Bucks have not gotten off to a good start, and that is putting it nicely. Following a 124-109 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on opening night, Milwaukee dropped six games in a row before blowing out the Utah Jazz by a 123-100 margin. Unfortunately, the team returned to its losing ways, falling to the New York Knicks 116-94 on Friday night. In that contest, Giannis Antetokounmpo led the offense with 24 points on 11-of-21 shooting and 12 rebounds. Damian Lillard, the only other Bucks starter to reach double figures, finished with 19 points, six rebounds, and six assists.

On the heels of a lackluster performance, Antetokounmpo provided this postgame assessment.

“At the end of the day, we’ve got to compete,” Antetokounmpo said via CBS Sports. “Teams are not just going to give us games. They’re not going to feel bad for us. We’ve got to compete every single possession. Every loose ball, we’ve got to get a body on the floor and put it on the line. But we didn’t compete at all. … We’ve got Boston in two days. We don’t compete, we’re going to lose by 30.”

Celtics Looking To Cruise To Another Easy Victory Against The Bucks

At the opposite end of the spectrum, while the Celtics do not have the same perfect 11-0 record as the Cleveland Cavaliers, they have been playing some good basketball. After a 4-1 start, the Celtics have posted four wins in their last five outings, including a 108-104 overtime win against the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night. Jayson Tatum led a quartet of starters that scored in double figures. He finished with a game-high of 33 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and handed out nine assists. Payton Pritchard scored 20 points off the bench (including six in the overtime frame), while Jrue Holiday added 17 points and five dimes.

Boston shot a season-low 26.4 percent from 3-point range, connecting on just 14 of its 53 attempts from beyond the arc. This was the first time an opponent held the Celtics below their average of 19 made three-point baskets per game.

“It was kind of one of those ugly, grind-it-out games,” head coach Joe Mazzulla said after the game. “We gave up some stuff that we have to get better at, but you had to earn any basket. You had to earn it on both ends of the floor, and I thought we did that, especially toward the end of the game.”

When these teams met on Oct. 28, the Bucks emerged victorious with a 119-108 win. Will that trend play out again, or can the Bucks get a much-needed win? Now that we have set the stage for the Eastern Conference showdown, let’s examine the betting trends for both teams.

Bucks vs. Celtics Spread Analysis

The Celtics enter this contest as a four-point favorite (per Bet365.com). Here is a look at how both teams have fared against the spread this season.

• The Bucks are 2-6 ATS in their last eight contests.
• Milwaukee has covered the spread only twice in its 11 matchups against the defending champions.
• In their last five November games, the Bucks are 1-4 against the spread.
• Meanwhile, the Celtics are 2-4 ATS in their last six games outings overall.
• Boston is 1-4 ATS in its previous five matchups against Central Division opponents.
• Conversely, the Celtics have covered the spread nine times in their last five “road” matchups against Milwaukee.

Prediction: Boston Celtics (-4)

Bucks vs. Celtics Over/Under Prediction

This matchup’s projected over/under total is 228.5 points (via BetMGM.com). Here is why going with the “under” is the intelligent choice.

• The total has gone UNDER six times in the Bucks’ last seven games.
• The UNDER total has prevailed four times in Milwaukee’s last six games at Fiserv Forum.
• In Boston’s previous five contests, the UNDER total boasts a 4-1 record.
• The total has gone UNDER seven times in the Celtics’ last nine November outings.

Prediction: UNDER 228.5 points

Player Prop Bet

Not only was he the top performer in the 22-point loss against the Knicks, but Antetokounmpo also leads the Bucks in scoring and rebounding. Given those trends, he should be your key player to watch for the home team in this contest. He currently has -115 odds of scoring more than 30.5 points and -115 odds of finishing with less than 30.5 points (via DraftKings.com).

Here is a look at how his numbers stack up against the projected points total for this matchup.

• During the season, Antetokounmpo is averaging 30.1 points per game.
• In 36 career matchups against Boston, he has averaged 22.4 points and 8.9 rebounds per outing.
• Giannis has suited up in three home games this season. In those contests, he averages 34.3 points per contest.
• Across his last five starts, Antetokounmpo has averaged 31.2 points per game, exceeding the points total for this matchup three times during that stretch.

Prediction: Giannis Antetokounmpo OVER 30.5 points