Bucks vs Celtics Odds, Lines and Spread

• The Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics get their 2020-21 NBA seasons underway on December 23rd, 2020
• Two of the premier teams in the Eastern Conference matchup after eventful offseasons
• Get the latest odds, betting discussion, and a pick below

The Milwaukee Bucks begin their 2020-21 season as one of the favorites for the NBA title after trading for Jrue Holiday and handing Giannis Antetokounmpo a supermax extension. They start their season against the Boston Celtics, who are without an injured Kemba Walker and Gordon Hayward, who left the C’s to join the Hornets in the offseason.

Milwaukee is a three-point favorite at FanDuel. Boston beat the Bucks early last season, though went on two lose twice to Milwaukee later in the campaign both before and after the season’s suspension.

The table below has the odds for the Bucks vs Celtics on December 23rd.

Milwaukee Bucks vs Boston Celtics Odds

Odds taken on Dec 22 from FanDuel.

Weakened Celtics

Losing Hayward in the offseason hurt Boston. Kemba Walker’s injury situation is a greater concern, however. Walker was hobbled early in the bubble, and there is no timetable on his return for 2020-21. The Celtics perimeter powerhouse is depleted, with vast pressure on Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Marcus Smart to not only perform but to stay healthy.

Jeff Teague is going to immediately have an important role to play after replacing Brad Wanamaker as Boston’s backup point guard. The Cs are reliant on playmaking improvement from Brown and Tatum, who developed significantly as a pick-and-roll ball handler in 2019-20.

Boston’s weakened playmaking faces a stern test. Milwaukee was the best defensive team in the NBA last season, and by a distance. They had the lowest points per possession defending in the halfcourt and in transition. Teams rarely got into the paint, and when they did, they were met by two of the best interior defenders in the game – Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez.

Interior Defense

Protecting the basket is the priority against the Bucks. Stopping Antetokounmpo having a clear path to the rim is key, and the Celtics added what they hope is a defensive upgrade in Tristan Thompson. Boston was fourth in defensive rating last season and ninth in opponent field goal percentage at the rim. They were in the top 10 at stopping opponents from getting to the cup, too.

The Celtics were good at stopping paint penetration. They had length on the perimeter last season, and much of that remains. The challenge for Brad Stevens will be how they guard Antetokounmpo – does Tatum take the assignment? Will Stevens opt to go for two bigs, perhaps utilizing Thompson and Daniel Theis together to get more size on the floor?

Milwaukee shot a lot of threes last year, hitting them at around a league average rate. They are an okay three-point shooting team. Largely due to Antetokounmpo, they were second in the NBA in scoring efficiency at the rim. The Celtics must force the Bucks to shoot threes, but that’s where the challenge lies for Stevens. Can Boston generate sufficient offense while having the defensive personnel to protect the rim?

Bucks Too Strong

This is a game where Walker’s absence will be noticeable. Milwaukee is an elite defensive team, and Boston’s offense risks becoming one-dimensional without the former Hornets guard to run the show. The Celtics have limited options on offense – they are reliant on a huge night from Tatum and great shooting from Brown, Smart, and others.

While the Bucks got markedly better this offseason, adding Jrue Holiday, the Celtics have lost two of their five best players from last season in Hayward and Walker. Milwaukee won the last two meetings between these two teams – they are a good bet to make it three in a row.

Pick: Milwaukee Bucks -3 (-114)