NBA Odds: Celtics Look To Keep Eastern Conference Lead As Favorites Vs. Bucks

The Boston Celtics will try to extend their lead atop the Eastern Conference standings Wednesday night when they play host to the Milwaukee Bucks as eight-point betting favorites at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.

The Celtics pulled a half-game ahead of slumping Cleveland in the conference standings following the Cavaliers’ stunning 103-74 loss in San Antonio as five-point underdogs Monday.

However, with +500 odds to win the Eastern Conference ahead of Wednesday night’s Bucks vs. Celtics betting matchup at TD Garden, Boston continues to trail the defending champions, who remain clear -300 favorites to claim a third straight conference title.

The Celtics’ ascension to the top of the standings comes amid a 7-1 straight-up run, including six home wins. The club’s most recent victory came Sunday, a 112-108 win over the Miami Heat.

Boston, though, failed to cover as a six-point betting favorite in that contest, extending its ongoing woes at the sportsbooks, where the team is winless against the spread in four of its past six outings and just 11-16 ATS in its past 27.

The Celtics have surrendered a lot of points during their current win streak, allowing an average of 107.5 points per game, and have seen opponents tally 100 or more points in nine of their past 12 games, fueling a 5-2 run for the over in totals betting.

The Bucks travel to Boston following a 118-108 win over the Charlotte Hornets as 3 1/2-point underdogs Tuesday and look poised to return to the postseason for the first time in three years after posting SU wins in 12 of their past 15 games.

Milwaukee has avoided consecutive SU losses during that stretch and has emerged as a formidable opponent on the road, ending a recent seven-game SU and ATS slide with an impressive 9-3 SU and 8-4 ATS run.

The Bucks have enjoyed little success in recent dates with the Celtics, going 3-7 SU and ATS in their past 10 overall meetings, including only one win in their past four visits to Boston. But they are 10-4 ATS in their past 14 games at TD Garden.

Following Wednesday night’s contest, the Celtics close out their longest homestand of the season against the Orlando Magic on Friday, followed by a Sunday date with the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

The Celtics have taken 13 straight SU from Orlando on home court, according to the OddsShark NBA Database, including a 128-98 rout of the Magic as seven-point chalk on Jan. 27. They have topped New York SU in eight of 10, too, but dropped a 117-106 decision to the Knicks as nine-point home chalk on Jan. 18.

Thumbnail photo via Benny Sieu/USA TODAY Sports Images