Christmas Day is giving us five NBA games on Sunday, December 25, and this conference duel in Boston is the most attractive one, so make sure you don’t miss out on the best Bucks vs. Celtics betting pick and odds.

Milwaukee is looking to avoid the third loss in a row when they visit Boston at TD Garden. The Celtics are -4.5 favorites on BetDSI Sportsbook, while the total is set at 224 points. These conference rivals have faced in the second round of the playoffs last year, and the Celtics won that series in seven games.

Bucks’ offense couldn’t do much against the Nets in Brooklyn

The Milwaukee Bucks (22-10, 17-13-2 ATS) suffered two straight losses for the second time this season as they were well-beaten by the Brooklyn Nets on the road. Brooklyn completely stopped the Bucks and forced even 18 turnovers while committing ten on the other end. Milwaukee shot 44.0% from the field and registered just 17 assists opposite the Nets’ 30 in a 118-100 defeat. The Bucks are currently on a five-game road trip, which will end on Wednesday in Chicago, after which they will return home for a three-game stay.

Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with a double-double of 26 points and game-high 13 rebounds, along with a team-high seven assists, two steals, and a game-high seven turnovers. Brook Lopez added 23 points and five boards, Jrue Holiday had 18 points and five dimes, while Bobby Portis posted a double-double of ten points and 12 rebounds.

SF Khris Middleton has sat out the last four games with right knee soreness, and it is unknown if he will be available for Sunday’s clash with the Celtics.

Celtics returned to winning ways against the Wolves

The Boston Celtics (23-10, 18-14-1 ATS) went through their worst period of the season and responded to a three-game losing skid with a 121-109 home victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Despite losing five of the last seven games, Boston is still atop of the Eastern Conference and has the best record in the entire NBA. A solid defense was key in a win against the Wolves as the Celtics forced 16 turnovers and committed 11 on the other end, while they had nine steals opposite Minnesota’s three.

Jaylen Brown led the C’s with 36 points and seven rebounds. Jayson Tatum followed him with 30 points, eight boards, and five assists, Derrick White had 18 points, five rebounds, and two blocks, while Al Horford recorded a double-double of 17 points and team-high 11 rebounds, along with a game-high three rejections.

SF Danilo Gallinari (ACL) is out for the season, but C Robert Williams (illness) and PG Marcus Smart (hip) are probable to feature against the Bucks on Sunday.

Trends:

Milwaukee:

  • 1-5-1 ATS in the last seven road games
  • 1-4-1 ATS in the last six after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game

Boston:

  • 7-2 ATS in the last nine games following a straight-up win of more than ten points
  • 9-3 ATS in the last 12 games playing on one day of rest
  • 6-2 ATS in the last eight games following an ATS win

Milwaukee Bucks vs. Boston Celtics Pick

Boston has the best offense in the NBA that is averaging 118.1 points per game, while Milwaukee’s is not that good as it averages below-average 112.5 ppg. The Bucks will be relying on their top-5 defense that allows 109.2 ppg to limit Tatum, Brown, and co, but that is not going to be easy. Even if the Bucks manage to keep Boston to 100-110 points, there are no guarantees their offense will do the job on the other end. Milwaukee scored more than 110 points just once in the previous 11 road games, and if they don’t score more than that at TD Garden, Boston will get a W. On this occasion, I am going with a better offense.

Pick: Take the Celtics at -2.5 (-130)

The Total

I am not convinced by Milwaukee’s offense and its ability to outscore the best offense in basketball. Unless we have a very interesting final few minutes or overtime, this game is not going to be high-scoring. Even Boston had some offensive issues lately, which is the main reason for five defeats in seven games. With the Bucks’ sturdy D, I can see the hosts scoring 100-110 points, while I also expect that from the visitors. Under is 5-2 in the last seven H2H meetings, while Under is 4-1 in the previous five H2H duels in Boston.

Pick: Go Under 226.5 points (-130)