Posted on: February 14, 2023, 10:23h.
Final up to date on: February 14, 2023, 10:23h.
The Milwaukee Bucks have a ten-game successful streak on the road after they host the Boston Celtics throughout a nationally televised recreation on Tuesday Evening, which options the 2 prime groups within the Japanese Convention.
The Celtics have one of the best document within the NBA at 41-16, and the Bucks have the third-best document within the league at 39-17.
The Celtics maintain a 1.5-game lead over the Bucks within the Japanese Convention standings. If the Bucks defeat the Celtics on Tuesday, they’ll prolong their successful streak to 11 video games in a row and pull inside a half-game.
The Celtics received 4 video games in a row, however they won’t have beginning capturing guard Jaylen Brown within the lineup. Brown sustained a facial fracture on account of an errant elbow from teammate Jayson Tatum final week.
The Celtics are the consensus favourite to win the 2022-23 NBA championship. DraftKings listed the Celtics at +310 odds to win the championship, adopted by the Phoenix Suns at +450, and the Bucks at +600.
Within the preseason, the Celtics had been championship cofavorites with the Los Angeles Clippers at +600 odds. Other than two weeks in early November, when the Bucks had been transient title favorites at +550 odds, the Celtics have been the outright favourite to win the NBA championship this season.
Bucks and Celtics in Battle for #1 Seed
If the season ended in the present day, the Celtics would earn the #1 playoff seed within the east, and the Bucks would get the #2 seed.
The Celtics and Bucks symbolize the final two groups to win the Japanese Convention. The Celtics had been Japanese Convention Champions within the 2021-22 season, however they misplaced to the Golden State Warriors within the 2022 NBA Finals.
The Bucks had been convention champions within the 2020-21 season, and superior to the 2021 NBA Finals. They defeated the Phoenix Suns to win their first championship in 50 years.
The Celtics are +130 odds to win the Japanese Convention in back-to-back seasons. The Bucks are +250 odds to win their second convention championship within the final three seasons.
FiveThirtyEight tasks the Celtics have a 39% probability to succeed in the NBA finals, and a 23% probability to win the championship. The Bucks have a 26% probability to advance to the NBA Finals, and a 14% probability to win a title.
The Bucks had been eradicated from final 12 months’s postseason by the Celtics within the Japanese Convention semifinals. The collection lasted seven video games, and the Celtics got here from behind to knock out the Bucks with a clutch street victory in Sport 7 in Milwaukee.
The Bucks put up a superb battle with out beginning small ahead Khris Middleton, who suffered an MCL knee sprain the primary spherical. It took the Celtics seven video games to beat the Bucks with out Middleton, which is why followers really feel that the Bucks would’ve defeated the Celtics with a wholesome Middleton. After the Bucks misplaced Middleton, it value them an opportunity at back-to-back convention titles and an opportunity to win consecutive NBA championships.
Bucks 7-3 ATS Throughout Successful Streak
The Bucks are the betting favourite towards the Celtics with a -9 level unfold on Tuesday evening. With a 31-22-3 towards the unfold (ATS) document, the Bucks are the second-best betting crew within the NBA when masking the purpose unfold. The Celtics have a 31-26 ATS document because the eighth-best betting crew within the NBA this season.
Throughout their present successful streak, the Bucks posted a 7-3 ATS document over their final ten victories. The Bucks additionally received 12 out of their final 13 video games, and went 16-4 over their earlier 20 video games relationship again to early January.
The Bucks common 114.6 factors per recreation this season, or ranked #13 general. Throughout their successful streak, they’ve been on a scoring binge with 123 or extra factors or in six video games. When the Bucks rating 130 or extra factors in a single recreation this season, they’re undefeated at 6-0.
The Bucks depend on a robust protection that’s ranked #7 general permitting 111.6 factors per recreation. They’ve the fourth-best perimeter protection within the league, and permit opponents to attach on 34.6% of their 3-point makes an attempt. The Bucks don’t quit straightforward baskets, and so they’re ranked #2 within the NBA in opposing area objective proportion at 45.4%.
The Bucks started the season with a nine-game successful streak. If they will defeat the Celtics on Tuesday, and beat the Chicago Bulls on Thursday, then they’ll head into the All-Star Break with a 12-game successful streak.
Greek Freak vs. Tatum
The 2 greatest groups within the Japanese Convention sq. off on Tuesday evening, however the Bucks/Celtics recreation additionally options two MVP candidates.
Bucks energy ahead Giannis “Greek Freak” Antetokounmpo received the MVP in back-to-back seasons in 2018-19 and 2019-20, earlier than Nikola Jokic from the Denver Nuggets received the distinguished award within the final two seasons. Jokic is the betting favourite at -170 odds to win a uncommon third-straight MVP. Antetokounmpo is third on DraftKings’ NBA awards board at +750 odds. Tatum is fifth general at +1300 odds.
Antetokounmpo is the NBA’s main rebounder and third-best scorer. He averages 32.4 factors, 12.3 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per recreation. In 5 video games in February, Antetokounmpo averages 37.2 factors and 13.0 rebounds per recreation. He scored 33 or extra factors in eight out of his final 9 video games, together with two 50-point video games.
The Bucks are 13-1 with Antetokounmpo within the lineup because the begin of January.
Tatum, the beginning small ahead for the Celtics, averages 30.5 factors, 8.6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per recreation this season. He’s posting profession highs in all three main classes.
Tatum dropped a game-high 41 factors in a victory towards the Bucks on Christmas of their solely assembly of the season.
