Boston Celtics will take on the Milwaukee Bucks in Wednesday’s action of the NBA Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. The hosts look forward to continuing a successful streak on the home court. The away side goes to this game after losing on the home court, and they will search for success on the road.
Boston managed to upset the Bucks on the road in the previous match, and these two teams enter Game 5 tied. Nevertheless, the home side has been confident in front of its crowd, and they want to continue that run. On the other hand, Milwaukee failed to grab a huge 3-1 lead in this series after losing the latest match. However, the visitors hope to put a better performance on Wednesday evening.
Boston Celtics – Can they take the lead in the series?
Although they were in a tricky situation after Game 3, being 2-1 down and playing on the road, the Celtics managed to level the series. They booked a vital 116-108 victory on Monday evening, getting back the home-court advantage. Although Boston opened the match by scoring only 18 points in the first quarter, they turned around the result thanks to a brilliant display in the final period. The Celtics were seven points down ahead of the last 12 minutes of the game, but they scored 43 pts in that period and eventually won. Despite being inferior in the paint and having three turnovers more than their rivals, Boston had a good shooting evening with a 50.0 field goal percentage.
Jayson Tatum drives the Celtics’ offense in the post-season, scoring 26 points per contest, followed by a team-high 6.4 assists and 5.1 rebounds. Jaylen Brown averages 22.1 pts, 6.4 rebs, and four assists, while Al Horford tops the rebounds charts with 9.4 and scores 15.9 points per game. Marcus Smart has contributed to Boston’s offense with 14.7 pts, while Grant Williams also produces a double-digit number of pts. On the other hand, Sam Hauser is out of the contest for this match, while Robert Williams III is doubtful.
Expected Line-Up: Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, Daniel Theis
with best odds
Milwaukee Bucks – Are they capable of celebrating on the road?
The Bucks missed a great opportunity to take a 3-1 lead before going to Boston for Game 5. Although they opened the match very well and had a seven-point advantage ahead of the final period, they lost focus in defense and threw it all away. Milwaukee controlled the paint, having ten rebounds more than their rivals, but their shooting wasn’t very good. They had a 41.5 field goal percentage and allowing Boston to make a 14-2 series cost them a win.
Giannis Antetokounmpo dominates the Bucks’ offense with 30.1 points, 13.2 rebounds, and seven assists per game on average. Jrue Holiday averages 18.7 pts, 6.4 assists, and 5.8 rebs, while Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis contribute to Milwaukee’s offense with 11+ points per match. Portis has also been dominant in the paint, with 9.9 rebounds per contest. Regarding the selection issues, the Bucks still cannot count on Khris Middleton, while George Hill is listed as questionable.
Expected Line-Up: Jrue Holiday, Wesley Matthews, Pat Connaughton, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez
Expert Pick #1 – Boston Celtics -5.5 @-110
The home side should be full of confidence after turning around the result in the very finish of Game 4. I don’t think they will miss an opportunity to celebrate a win in front of their fans, and I believe Boston will cover the number on Wednesday evening. Therefore, I’ll back the hosts as my first pick.
Expert Pick #2 – Under 213.5 @-110
Boston dragged the latest clash over the margin, but I don’t see this one producing more than 213 points. Both teams have been pretty focused on defense so far, and the importance of this match won’t change things. That’s why I’ll go with the Under as my second bet.
Expert Pick #3 – Jayson Tatum Over 28.5 @-110
Jayson Tatum led the Celtics to success on Monday evening, and I expect him to pick up where he left off. He produced 30 points in the most recent match, and I believe he’ll score at least 29 in this encounter. It’s going to be my third pick at the same odds as the above two.
