Milwaukee Bucks at Boston Celtics

Milwaukee Bucks -1

Over/Under 223.5

 

  • This is a playoff rematch from a year ago, but both teams are drastically different. The Celtics have two of their best players back, while the Bucks have an offensive system and role players around Giannis Antetokounmpo that actually make sense.
  • While the Bucks have the league’s best point differential, they have been quite mediocre on the road, with a 7-6 record.
  • One of those losses came in Boston in November, 113-117. Giannis had 33 points and 11 rebounds on 59 percent shooting, while Kyrie Irving had 28 points and seven assists on 50 percent shooting.
  • The Celtics made a franchise-record 24 three-pointers in that game
  • The Bucks should be better equipped to slow Irving down with the addition of George Hill.
  • Hill hasn’t added much offensively since joining Milwaukee, but he did have 11 points and three steals against New Orleans Wednesday.
  • The Celtics are still without their top two centers, as Al Horford and Aron Baynes have both missed the last two weeks. Marcus Morris will miss his second consecutive game with a knee injury as well. Daniel Theis and Robert Williams have been splitting time at center, and both have shown flashes while also being inconsistent.
  • With Morris out, Gordon Hayward seems likely to reenter the starting lineup, even though his numbers are slightly better off the bench. Semi Ojeleye will likely pick up some more minutes as well.
  • This meeting pits the third best defensive rating in the NBA (Boston) against the best offensive rating (Milwaukee). Of course, the Bucks are also fifth in defensive rating, which helps explain why the lead the NBA in net rating.
  • Milwaukee and Boston rank 10th and 11th in the NBA in assist rate at 61.2 and 61.0 percent, respectively.
  • There probably won’t be many second-chance points in this game. The Bucks have the best defensive rebounding rate in the NBA while the Celtics rank eighth.
  • The Bucks have taken 41.9 percent of their shots at the rim, second only to the Lakers. Boston, meanwhile, continues to settle for jump shots. They have taken 30.3 percent of their shots at the rim, good for 27th.
  • Defensively, Milwaukee is allowing the lowest percentage of shots at the rim as well as the lowest field goal percentage on shots at the rim. Boston ranks ninth and 12th, respectively.
  • While the Bucks rank second in percentage of shots at the rim, they also rank second in percentage of shots that are threes, at 40.4 percent. Boston is third at 38.0 percent.
  • The Celtics rank 28th in free throw attempts per game, ahead of Orlando and Phoenix but behind the Bulls and Cavaliers. The Bucks, meanwhile, have allowed the third fewest free throw attempts to opponents this season.
  • Jayson Tatum is playing some of his best ball of late, averaging 19.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 2.0 blocks over the last seven days.
  • Marcus Smart has been playing well since joining the starting lineup, averaging 9.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 2.9 steals per game as a starter.
  • In the three games Malcolm Brogdon has played with George Hill, Brogdon is averaging just 26.7 mpg, down from 29.8 mpg for the season.