MIL @ BOS

Game 4

Bucks Lead 2-1

Spread: BOS -1.5

Total: 219.5

Odds c/o 5dimes

The Milwaukee Bucks lost the opener of this best of seven, but since that point, it has won the last two games to emerge as 2-1 leaders in the series. The Bucks face Boston in Game 4 tonight with a chance to go up 3-1. Teams that take a 3-1 lead win 95 percent of the time, so that makes this game an imperative must-win for Boston. NBA oddsmakers favor the Celtics by 1.5-points for the game, and it will tip off at 6 PM (CT) on TNT.

The Bucks got a massive (and efficient) game 3 out of its superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. He finished the game with 32 points, 13 rebounds, eight assists, and five blocks/steals while recording a +7 mark for his 29 minutes of gameplay. The Bucks carried a six-point lead into the fourth quarter after outscoring Boston 40-31 in the third quarter. Bucks starters shot 26 of 55 from the field, and if Eric Bledsoe’s 4 of 15 is removed from the picture, the quartet of Nikola Mirotic, Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, and Brook Lopez combined to shoot a stellar 22 of 40. The Bucks got a lot of help from George Hill and Pat Connaughton off the bench as well: the duo combined to hit 14 of 23 for 35 points between them, and Milwaukee shot 50.6 percent from the field and 40.5 percent from three-point range in the game.

The Bucks and Celtics battled to a stalemate on the rebounding, each team grabbing 44. Milwaukee turned it over 15 times in Game 3, but the Celtics were worse with 17 miscues. Boston must find a way to get Jayson Tatum more shots and get him more involved: Tatum shot 50 percent from the floor but attempted just 14 field goals, finishing with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Meanwhile, Kyrie Irving continues to take many bad shots as he finished 8 of 22 from the field and just 2 of 8 from three. Irving did connect on 11 of 12 from the line and finish with a team-high 29 points, but many times the Celtics would be better off if it could get more looks for Tatum. Tatum was huge in the 2018 playoffs but has been somewhat quiet this season. The Celtic bench also provided just 16 points with 10 coming from Gordon Hayward’s 2 of 8 shooting night.

ATS TRENDS (C/o Covers)