Two Eastern Conference rivals who have dealt with adversity in much different fashions will be squaring off when the Boston Celtics visit the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night.

Despite having missed Jayson Tatum for the entire 2025-26 campaign, Boston is 40-20 and second in the conference behind Detroit. Milwaukee, dealing with the Giannis Antetokounmpo circus, comes in at 26-33 and is likely headed for the NBA draft lottery.

This marks the third of four meetings between these two teams. Milwaukee prevailed 116-101 at home on December 11 before Boston cruised 107-79 with home-court advantage on February 1. 

The Celtics are 7.5-point favourites on the NFL odds, with the total set at 214.5.

Celtics vs. Bucks NBA Betting Odds

The Bucks got 9.5 points when they hosted Boston on December 11. Given that they won that game outright by 15, it’s no surprise that Monday’s spread is shorter. The previous total of 217.5 the last time Boston and Milwaukee faced each other was already the lowest we had seen in multiple years in this matchup. Following a flurry of low-scoring affairs, now it’s even lower for Monday’s contest.

The Celtics are 6-1 against the spread in their last seven overall and 5-1 ATS in their last six road games. Something has to give, however, because the Bucks are 8-4 ATS in their last 12 overall and 5-2 ATS in their last seven at home. As for the over/under, the under is 4-1 in Boston’s past five overall and 6-0 in the last six head-to-head encounters. The over, though, is 3-1 in Milwaukee’s last four outings.

Boston Celtics

The Celtics are playing the second leg of a back-to-back situation, but they should be happy to get right back on the court given their current momentum. They trounced Philadelphia 114-98 at home on Sunday and have now won six of their last seven games in addition to 11 of their last 13. Boston is 40-20 this season and trying to hold off New York and Cleveland for the No. 2 seed in the East. It’s also worth noting that the C’s have lost only one road game since January 24.

Depth is especially a factor for back-to-backs, and the Celtics have plenty of it. In fact, four different players have led them in scoring over the past four games (Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Nikola Vucevic and Neemias Queta). Acquired from Chicago prior to the trade deadline, Vucevic is coming off two consecutive double-doubles with his new team.

Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks are also on a back-to-back, and their Sunday effort was far less encouraging – a 120-97 blowout loss at Chicago. That kind of result is nothing out of the ordinary for Milwaukee, which is 26-33 and three games out of a spot in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament. This team has dropped its last two contests by a combined 52 points (also a 127-98 home setback against New York on Friday).

A constant subject of trade rumours last offseason and up until the trade deadline, Antetokounmpo has been sidelined since January 23 due to a calf injury. His return is reportedly close, but it isn’t likely to happen on Monday. And why would the Bucks rush him back? In the 2026 NBA draft, they get the less favourable pick of their own and the Pelicans’ – which will probably be their own since New Orleans’ record right now is far worse. As such, Milwaukee has no real incentive to win basketball games.

NBA Prediction: Who Will Win Celtics vs. Bucks?

With Antetokounmpo out, the Bucks do not have anyone averaging more than 17.8 ppg (Kevin Porter Jr.). Porter is averaging only 10.5 ppg over the last two contests while shooting 8-for-28 from the floor, so don’t be surprised if Milwaukee’s offence is stagnant against a stout Boston defence. Let’s go with the Celtics to prevail 112-102.

CELTICS

Away

112

BUCKS

Home

102

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Predictions

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