The Boston Celtics will be looking to avoid straight-up losses in back-to-back games on home court when they return to action Monday for Game 4 of their second-round NBA playoff series with the Milwaukee Bucks as small 1.5-point favorites on the NBA odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
Boston failed to maintain momentum after taking a 12-point lead in the second quarter in a 123-116 Game 3 loss Friday that left the club trailing 2-1 in the series going into Monday night’s Bucks vs. Celtics betting matchup at TD Garden.
The Celtics’ defeat as 2-point home chalk marks their first SU loss on home court during this year’s NBA playoffs and only their second playoff loss in 14 postseason dates at home since the beginning of last year’s playoffs.
But while the Celtics have not come up short in consecutive games played at home since losing to both the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers in a span of three days back in early February, the team has emerged as a risky bet when playing at TD Garden, going 7-16 ATS in 23 home dates since Jan. 16, according to the OddsShark NBA Database.
The team also is winless in two home dates with the Bucks, putting the brakes on a six-game SU and ATS home win streak against Milwaukee. With neither the trends nor momentum favoring Boston, the club has tumbled on the NBA playoff series prices, where it now sits as an underdog to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for a third straight year.
Led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks once again put on an impressive offensive performance in their Game 3 win. The Greek Freak led all shooters with 32 points while adding 13 defensive rebounds in his best outing of the series, and now has drained 30 or more points in five of eight dates with Boston.
Overall, the Bucks have run up the score with regularity in recent weeks, scoring 120 or more points in five of seven playoff outings, and 11 of their last 16 games overall. That has contributed to a steady 12-4 run for the OVER in totals betting, including both Games 2 and 3 of this series, and a 6-1 ATS run so far in the postseason.
With Milwaukee poised to take a commanding 3-1 series lead, the club now sits as heavy -600 favorite on the NBA series prices but continues to sit second behind the Golden State Warriors as a +360 wager on the NBA championship odds. Boston trails at +2800 on those title odds.
