The Bucks bounced back in a big way and evened their Eastern Conference semifinal series with the Boston Celtics at one game apiece. The bookmakers list Milwaukee as a short road underdog in Game 3 even though the club is just 1-3 straight up and against the spread in its last four visits to the TD Garden.

NBA Point Spread and Betting Analysis

No NBA team has collected more ATS (against the spread) wins than the Milwaukee Bucks. The club is 26-15-2 against the number away from home this season and 6-2 ATS when catching points on the road.

The Bucks won and covered in both games at Detroit during their last series, but they went 0-4 SU and ATS at the TD Garden in last year’s playoffs. Milwaukee’s inability to win at Boston cost the team a chance of advancing to the second round of the playoffs. The Bucks aren’t the only team who has struggled to win at Boston in the postseason. The Celtics are 12-1 SU and ATS in their last 13 home playoff games dating back to last year.

Sports Interaction opened with the C’s giving 1.5 points and the line moved up to Boston -2. About 56 percent of  bettors are backing the Bucks to cover as 2-point underdogs while 79 percent expect the game to go under the 220-point total. Milwaukee is priced at -227 favourites to win the series while Boston is paying +175 to advance to the East finals.

Milwaukee Bucks

Khris Middleton is developing a reputation as a Celtics killer. The small forward is coming off a 28-point performance in Game 2 and is shooting 72 percent from 3-point range in the series. He shot 64.8 percent from deep against the C’s in the playoffs a year ago including his last-second heave from the scorers table that forced overtime in Game 1.

There is some bad news for Bucks fans. Combo guard Malcolm Brogdon is ruled out of playing on Friday night. The third year player out of Virginia hasn’t laced up his gameday Nikes since the middle of March because of a foot injury.

Boston Celtics

Boston GM Danny Ainge suffered a mild heart attack on Thursday and is expected to make a full recovery. Sometimes traumatic events like these can cause inspired efforts from players. That won’t be the case with the Celtics. Ainge isn’t the most popular front office executive among players in the league. He famously traded Isaiah Thomas – the best player on the 2016-17 team – despite Thomas playing through a hip injury and the death of his sister.

Kyrie Irving and Co. will be up for Friday’s contest because it’s a huge game in the series; not because of anything to do with Ainge’s health.

BUCKS

Away

102

CELTICS

Home

105

Score
Predictions

Matchup