Bucks vs Celtics Game 4 Odds & Picks
- The Milwaukee Bucks are 1-point home favorites over the Boston Celtics in Game 4 of their NBA Eastern Conference second-round playoff series on Monday, May 9
- Milwaukee is 8-1 straight up in its last nine home games against Boston
- Below, see the Game 4 Bucks vs Celtics odds and best bets
The margin in the NBA Eastern Conference second-round playoff series between the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics can literally be measured in the blink of an eye.
Video review at the conclusion of Game 3 confirmed that Al Horford’s game-tying put back basket for Boston came a split-second following the final buzzer. That meant Milwaukee escaped with a 103-101 victory and a 2-1 lead in this best-of-seven set.
Oddsmakers are anticipating that the Game 4 outcome will be equally as tight. They are setting the Bucks as 1-point home favorites to grab a 3-1 series lead. The Celtics, though, are 5-1 against the spread in their last six games. The public money is concentrated on the Bucks, despite the trends.
Celtics vs Bucks Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Celtics | -1 (-110) | O 212 (-110) | -105 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | +1 (-110) | U 212 (-110) | -115 |
Odds as of May 8th at DraftKings Sportsbook
Tipoff for this game at Fiserv Forum is 7:30 pm ET on Monday, May 9. For those watching on TV, TNT is providing the broadcast.
Milwaukee currently has the best odds to win the Eastern Conference (+190) and third-best NBA Championship odds (+500). Boston is the third-favorite in the East (+260) and fourth in the title futures (+700).
Celtics vs Bucks Betting Trends
The difference between these two teams in razor thin. In terms of implied probability of victory for Game 4, Milwaukee is at 51.9% and Boston at 49.1%.
The NBA betting trends are equally tight. The Bucks at -1 are drawing 53% of the bets placed against the spread. When it comes to the moneyline, the splits are also showing that 53% of the bets are backing the Bucks at -115 odds.
Al Horford was *this* close to sending Game 3 to OT: pic.twitter.com/g16AFhrbKr
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 7, 2022
Boston rates among the NBA’s best ATS bets this season. The Celtics are 48-38-3 ATS. That 55.8% success rate puts Boston fifth in the league and second among Eastern Conference clubs.
The only area where the betting public seems to be in agreement is on the total. There’s 81% of public bets going with the Under (212). The under has proven to be the winning play in all eight of Milwaukee’s last eight games. For the Celtics, the total has gone under in five of their past six contests. However, eight of the last 12 Boston-Milwaukee meetings have gone over.
Bucks Get Their Freak On
The Celtics were fairly successful at holding two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo in check through the first two games of this set. The Milwaukee forward scored 24 points in Game 1 and was good for 28 points in Game 2.
However, the Greek Freak went off in Game 3, showing why he is once again top three in the NBA MVP odds. Antetokounmpo finished with 42 points and Milwaukee needed every one of them. Giannis scored 11 points in the third quarter and 11 more in a fourth quarter in which the Celtics outscored the Bucks 34-23. He shot 62.5% (15-of-24) after hitting at just 38.5% (20-of-52) through the first two games.
Giannis Antetokounmpo in the 2022 NBA Playoffs:
✅ 237 PTS
✅ 101 REB
✅ 58 ASTAntetokounmpo is one of only three players to record at least 200p/100r/50a through the first eight games of a postseason, and he's the only one to do so twice (2020 and 2022). pic.twitter.com/pTTz9an6Z3
— Justin Kubatko (@jkubatko) May 8, 2022
Antetokounmpo was able to take advantage of the absence of Boston big man Robert Williams III through injury and forward Grant Williams through foul trouble to slice and dice the Celtics. Robert Williams III was lost for part of the game. He was elbowed in the face by Antetokounmpo while the latter was driving to the hoop.
Boston boasts the NBA’s best defense in the NBA this season, allowing opponents just 104.5 points per game. If the Celtics can hold Antetokounmpo under 30 points, it would loom large in their bid for advancement. On the other hand, if Milwaukee requires him to score 40-plus points in order to eke out a victory, that doesn’t bode well for the Bucks’ future.
Milwaukee vs Boston Injury Updates
Boston’s Robert Williams III is good to go for Game 4. However, backup Celtics forward Sam Hauser (shoulder) is out.
*Robert Williams acts like he died*
Meanwhile Giannis is just playing basketball pic.twitter.com/qMWZRJVeo7
— IKE Bucks Podcast (@IKE_Bucks) May 7, 2022
Bucks reserve guard George Hill played in Game 3 for the first time this postseason. He was recovering from a strained abdominal muscle. Milwaukee is also without starting guard Khris Middleton (knee). Grayson Allen and Bobby Portis have both earned starts in Middleton’s spot.
Celtics vs Bucks Game 4 Prediction
There was little to choose statistically between the two teams in Game 3. Milwaukee’s significant advantages came in fast break points (21-11) and points in the paint (52-32). Boston held a wide margin in free throws made (28-14).
If the Bucks don’t reign in the foul trouble and Boston is able to regain some semblance of control over Antetokounmpo’s offense, this series should be going back to Boston deadlocked at 2-2.
Pick: Boston Celtics +1 (-110)
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An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
