The 2020-21 NBA regular season tips off for both the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. ET. Below, we analyze the Bucks-Celtics NBA betting odds and lines, with picks and predictions.
Bucks at Celtics: Betting odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 3 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Bucks -175 (bet $175 to win $100) | Celtics +145 (bet $100 to win $145)
- Against the spread/ATS: Bucks -4.5 (-105) | Celtics +4.5 (-115)
- Over/Under: 224.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Bucks at Celtics: Key Injuries
Bucks
- PG D.J. Augustin (calf) out
Celtics
- PG Kemba Walker (knee) out
- SG Romeo Langford (wrist) out
- C Tacko Fall (eye) out
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Bucks at Celtics: Odds, betting lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Bucks 118, Celtics 108
Money line (ML)
PASS. I’m on the Bucks here but see Milwaukee’s loss as more than 10-to-1 favorites to the injury-depleted Brooklyn Nets in the bubble last season as the GOAT example of why you do not bet heavy favorites in regular-season NBA action.
Against the spread (ATS)
The Bucks were 2-1 straight up but only 1-2 ATS against the Celtics last season. Boston has been a young, improving team who’s key contributors are in line to have their best seasons yet.
I gave out my Jayson Tatum Four-Year Pop Theory on the latest episode of SportsbookWire’s Bet Slippin’ Podcast. He is going to be relied upon to step up with SF Gordon Hayward joining the Charlotte Hornets this offseason and with Walker out a little while due to injury.
Tatum will have the full attention of defending MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in Bucks F Giannis Antetokounmpo and that was bad news last season. Against Milwaukee, Tatum averaged 15.7 points per game over the three contests on 33.3% from the field and 31.3% from 3-point range.
Do I think Tatum will play this poorly Wednesday? Not necessarily, but can the Celtics win if Tatum doesn’t give them 25 or more points? No, I don’t think so, and Tatum exceeding 25 points is a major question mark
Also, both teams are integrating new point guards. The Celtics are doing so temporarily with PG Jeff Teague filling in for an injured Kemba and the Bucks invested real assets into having PG Jrue Holiday run in the 1-spot.
Finally, this is the first game the Celtics, or any team for that matter, is playing at home in a crowd-less arena. Boston is considered to have one of the biggest home-court edges in the league and you’d have to think that would be lessened with no fans in the seats.
GIMME BUCKS -4.5 (-105) for 1.5 units, but perhaps wait to see if it comes down to a flat-4 closer to tip-off.
Over/Under (O/U)
While the Bucks led the NBA in defensive efficiency last year, they did so despite allowing the most 3-point attempts per game. The Celtics were 13th in 3-point percentage and fourth in effective field-goal percentage last season.
So, they are getting buckets and the Over is 14-4-1 in the last 19 meetings in Boston but how much does that matter without fans? For that reason, and the market betting the total down from a 226-point opener, I am going to “LEAN” OVER 224.5 (-110) for a quarter-unit.
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Also see:
- Boston Celtics take on Giannis, Milwaukee Bucks to start ’20-21 season (Celtics Wire)
- NBA predictions: Eastern Conference rankings for 2020-21 (Hoops Hype)
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