Celtics vs. Bucks prediction: Bet on Milwaukee to blast banged-up Boston

The Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks rank 1-2 in the Eastern Conference and own two of the NBA’s three best records.

And while Milwaukee is riding a league-best 10-game winning streak, Boston has won four in a row and six of seven.

So Tuesday’s Celtics vs. Bucks showdown in Milwaukee clearly is a potential Eastern Conference Finals preview, right?

Yes and no.

Sure, the teams have the talent to meet up in the conference finals for the second consecutive year. It’s just that a lot of that talent won’t be on the court Tuesday night — and most of the missing pieces belong to Boston.

That’s exactly why oddsmakers have Milwaukee as a massive home favorite — and why we’re backing that massive home favorite with our Celtics vs. Bucks prediction.

Odds updated as of 1:40 p.m. ET on Feb. 14.

It’s getting so crowded in the Celtics’ training room that the team soon might have to erect a popup tent outside the arena to tend to its infirmed players.

Let’s start in the backcourt, where starters Marcus Smart (ankle) and Jalen Brown (facial fracture) are sidelined through at least this weekend’s All-Star break.

Then there’s forward and MVP contender Jayson Tatum, who likely will sit out Tuesday with an illness (he’s officially doubtful).

That’s three starters averaging a combined 68.1 points, 19 rebounds, 14.9 assists and 3.5 steals per game.

Throw in center Robert Williams III (ankle-questionable), power forward Grant Williams (elbow-questionable) and shooting guard Malcolm Brogdon (Achilles-probable), and six of Boston’s eight leading scorers and six of its seven leading rebounders have health issues.

And now you know why the Celtics — who have been an underdog just three times all season and never by more than 2 points — are catching nearly double digits in Milwaukee on Tuesday.

Of course, the Bucks aren’t exactly playing with a full deck, either.

Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) and guard Pat Connaughton (calf) are expected to play through minor ailments. However, power forward Bobby Portis (knee) will miss his 10th straight game.

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Also, recently acquired veteran small forward Jae Crowder likely won’t suit up for Milwuakee until after the All-Star break.

Still, with Antetokounmpo and Connaughton set to go — and forward Khris Middelton returning after resting the previous game — the Bucks will have all of their main parts except Portis.

And even without Portis’ 14.4 points (third-best on the team) and 10.1 rebounds (second), Milwaukee has won nine straight games. That’s part of an ongoing 10-game winning streak, the team’s second-longest of the season.

The run features five home wins, five road wins and a 7-3 ATS mark. That includes four consecutive spread covers against the Heat (123-115 home), Blazers (127-108 road), Lakers (115-106 road) and Clippers (119-106 road).

Another advantage for Milwaukee on Tuesday: It comes into the game on three full days of rest, having not played since a back-to-back on Thursday and Friday in Los Angeles.

Conversely, the Celtics will be playing their fourth straight game on one day of rest. On top of that, they have to turn around after this one ends and head back to Boston to face Detroit on Wednesday.

Add it all up, and this smells like a throwaway game for the Celtics.

What about the significant point spread in this contest? After all, Boston is coming off a pair of double-digit wins over Charlotte and Memphis without both Brown and Smart.

Well, Tatum and the two Williamses played in both games and had a combined 86 points and 77 rebounds (with Tatum doing most of the scoring damage). And those two games were at home.

This one is in Milwaukee, where the Bucks are 23-5 SU, 18-10 ATS and averaging 118.4 points per contest.

Admittedly, Milwaukee has been much more profitable as a short chalk (21-6-2 ATS when laying seven points or less) than a big favorite (7-9 ATS when giving more than seven points).

Also, betting a big favorite with the All-Star game looming is always dicey.

All that said, given the Celtics’ depleted roster, Giannis and the Bucks should be able to name the score in this one.

We’ll name it ourselves: Milwaukee 123, Boston 102.

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