Celtics vs. Bucks Odds, Pick & Analysis for Jan 11

Boston Celtics (29-8 SU, 17-18 ATS) vs. Milwaukee Bucks (25-12 SU, 15-22 ATS)

When: Thursday, January 11th, 7:30 PM (ET)

Where: Fiserv Forum, WI, Milwaukee

TV: TNT

Point Spread: Bos +6/Mil -6

Total: 241

Money Line: Boston Celtics +194/-236

Notable Injuries

Celtics

• Kristaps Porzingis (Questionable) Right Knee

Bucks

• Jae Crowder (Out) Groin
• Cameron Payne (Probable) Concussion

At 7:30 ET, the Milwaukee Bucks (-236) will host the Boston Celtics (+194) in an Eastern Conference showdown. The Bucks are currently favored by 6 points and have lost two straight games. The over/under line for this game is 241.

This game will be played at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee and can be seen on TNT. The Celtics are 29-8 and lead the Eastern Conference, while the Bucks are 25-12 and are 2nd in the East.

Recent Form

Boston comes into today’s game against Milwaukee as the top team in the Eastern Conference with a record of 29-8. In non-conference games, they are 7-3 compared to 22-5 against other Eastern Conference teams.

As for their record vs. the spread, Boston is 17-18 this season and has failed to cover in their last two games. Today, they are 6-point underdogs and have an ATS record of 2-0 when not favored.

When playing on the road, the Celtics have an average scoring differential of +6.4 PPG. Overall, they are 11-8 straight up on the road and 7-11 vs. the spread. At home, they are a perfect 18-0 this season.

In their last game, Boston beat Minnesota by a score of 127-120. The combined scoring in the game was 247, which was higher than the O/U line of 227. The Celtics were also favored by 10.5 points.

This season, Boston has had an O/U record of 21-16, and the over has hit in their last two games. Today’s over/under line of 241 is higher than 33 of their previous games. For the season, their games have averaged 232.3 PPG.

At home this season, the Bucks have an average scoring differential of +5.0 points per game. Overall, they are 16-4 at home and 25-12 overall, putting them in 1st place in the Central Division and 2nd in the Eastern Conference.

Despite being favored in all but one of their games this season, the Bucks have an ATS record of 14-22. They have failed to cover the spread in their last four home games and have an average scoring differential of +4.4 points per game as the favorite.

For the season, the Bucks’ O/U record is 23-14. In their last game, they lost to the Jazz by a score of 132-116. The over/under line for the game was 242.5, and the teams combined for 248 points.

Milwaukee’s current losing streak is at two games, and they were also unable to cover the spread in both of those games. In their most recent game, they were 8-point favorites but lost by 16.

The Historicals

Across the previous 5 meetings between the teams, the Celtics have an average scoring margin of +17 points per game, leading to an ATS mark of 4-1. In these matchups, the teams have put together an over-under mark of 3-2. Combined, they averaged 235 points in these games.

Analysis

Heading into their matchup with the Bucks, the Celtics’ offense is averaging 121.3 points per game, which is 5th in the NBA. In terms of their scoring on the road, they are averaging 119.5 points per game.

When it comes to their pace, Boston is 18th in the league at 98.8 possessions per game. In terms of field goal percentage, they are 11th at 48%.

One area where the Celtics have excelled is in three-point shooting. They are leading the NBA in three-pointers made per game at 16.2. Overall, they are shooting 37% from beyond the arc.

Currently, the Celtics’ defense holds the 3rd rank in the NBA, allowing 111.0 points per game. The Boston defense has allowed opponents to shoot 36.2% from beyond the arc this season. Opposing teams are also hitting 45.1% of their field goal attempts vs. Boston.

When playing at home, the Bucks are averaging 124.6 points per game, which is 3rd in the NBA. Overall, they are 2nd in scoring at 124.1 points per game. In terms of field goal percentage, the Bucks are 3rd in the NBA at 49%.

So far, Milwaukee has outscored the NBA scoring average in 78.4% of their games. In terms of pace, they are 4th in the league at 102 possessions per game.

When it comes to three-point shooting, the Bucks are 8th in three-point percentage at 37%. They are also 8th in three-point attempts per game (37.5) and 6th in three-point makes (14.2).

The Bucks’ defense is presently ranked 24th in the league, allowing an average of 119.9 points per contest. When it comes to forced turnovers, the Bucks are forcing 12.9 per game, which is 15th in the league. They also come into the game sitting 10th in blocked shots at 5.5 per game.

Betting Trends

• When looking at their past ten road matchups, Boston has an ATS record of 5-5 while averaging 125 per game. The team went 5-5 overall in these games.
• Through their last three home games, Milwaukee has an ATS record of just 0-3. However, their overall record was 1-2 while averaging 121 points per game.
• In their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Celtics have a straight-up record of 6-4 and an ATS mark of 9-1.
• As the betting favorite, the Bucks have an ATS mark of just 0-3 in their last three games. Milwaukee posted a straight-up mark of 1-2 in these matchups.

Joes Pick To Cover The Spread

Today’s Boston vs. Milwaukee matchup features the 1st-place Celtics up against the 2nd-place Bucks. Even though Boston played last night, and the game went into OT, I still love them vs. the spread in this one. The Bucks have been in a slump and are still having a lot of defensive problems. I like Boston +6.