The Milwaukee Bucks (2-1) hit the road to face the Boston Celtics (2-1) in an Eastern Conference Semifinals rematch from last year.
At the start of last year, the Bucks and Celtics seemed to be the two best teams in the Eastern Conference. However, it turned out much different.
The Celtics claimed the fourth seed in the East and the Bucks’ astonishing record earned them the top seed. The teams were able to meet up in the conference semifinals. The Celtics whooped the Bucks in Game 1 but then went on to drop the next four games, losing the series 4-1. It was a disappointment for Boston and would lead to the departure of stars Kyrie Irving and Al Horford.
Now with a new-look squad headed by Kemba Walker, the Celtics get a chance early in the 2019-20 season to rematch the team that sent them home last season. This game will be extremely entertaining and features some of the best players in the league, including MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Both teams are extremely healthy, which makes sense considering it is only their fourth games of the season. The matchup to watch in this game will be between Jaylen Brown and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Brown is coming off an average season, but fresh off signing a $115 million contract, he is looking to make a big impact on the Celtics this year. Meanwhile, Antetokounmpo has picked up right where he left off last year during his MVP campaign, averaging 24 points through the first three games.
Brown has gotten the best of this matchup if you take a look at posterizers, as he dunked on Giannis three times last year alone. Here’s a look:
The Bucks come into tonight’s game with key wins against the Houston Rockets and Cleveland Cavaliers but unfortunately lost a close game versus the Miami Heat in overtime just the other day. On the other hand, the Celtics enter tonight on a two-game winning streak after wins against the New York Knicks and Toronto Raptors. The Bucks will get their first look at Kemba Walker in a Celtics uniform. The Celtics and Bucks have played 213 regular season games with the C’s leading the all-time series, 109-104.
Game Info
Date: Oct. 30, 2019
Start time: 7:30 p.m. EST
Location: Boston, Mass.
Stadium: TD Garden
TV Info: ESPN
Betting Odds
Moneyline: BOS: (+340) | MIL: (-440)
Spread: BOS: +9.5 (+116) | MIL: -9.5 (-138)
Total: 218.5 – Over: (-110) | Under: (-110)
The Bucks are favored by nine-and-a-half points, but the Celtics are at home. Therefore, I would not bet on Milwaukee covering the spread. However, I would take the over on a 218.5 total because I feel it will be a very high scoring affair.
Prediction
The Celtics are still building new team chemistry and Kemba Walker has not hit his All-Star groove as of now. The Bucks will come into Boston and get a hard-fought win against one of the tougher teams in the Eastern Conference. I expect Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jayson Tatum to score more than 25 points in this one, but the Bucks will finish on top. It should be one of the more entertaining games tonight.
Score: Bucks 115, Celtics 110
