The Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics currently hold the two best records in the NBA and they are both title contenders in the Eastern Conference.
They could very well meet in the Eastern Conference Finals this season and we’ll get a look at that potential playoff game on Christmas Day in Boston!
Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks are a very balanced team and perhaps the biggest surprise for them is the emergence of Brook Lopez as a ‘3-and-D’ center. Lopez had one of the best defensive seasons of any player in the league and he currently ranks first in the league in blocks.
The question for the Bucks going into this game is whether or not Khris Middleton will be healthy as he is currently suffering from a knee injury after slipping on a wet spot on the floor.
At full strength, Milwaukee has everything it needs to get back to the NBA Finals and possibly win its second championship in the past three seasons.
On the other side of things, the Celtics are looking to get back to the NBA Finals after losing in six games to the Golden State Warriors last season.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are proving to be the best two-way duo in the entire league and with Robert Williams III returning from off-season knee surgery, the Celtics have everything they need to potentially win a championship.
Two contenders for the title in the middle of Christmas day clashing? Sign me up!
Here’s how to watch this Christmas Day game with playtime and TV, lineups, bios, and other must-see details.
How to watch Bucks vs. Celtics
- WHO: Milwaukee Bucks (22-10) vs. Boston Celtics (23-10)
- WHEN: 5:00 p.m. ET, Sunday, December 25, 2022
- WHERE: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
- TV: ABC/ESPN
- Stream: Fubo.tv CLICK HERE
Key stats and facts for Bucks vs. Celtics
- The Milwaukee Bucks are coming off a 118-100 road loss to the Brooklyn Nets.
- The Boston Celtics are coming off a 121-109 home win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
- The Bucks are 8-7 on the road this season and the Celtics are 12-5 at home.
- The Celtics can be a tough team to stop from three-pointers, as they average 15.8 triples per game, second-highest in the league on average.
- Milwaukee and Boston split their four regular season meetings a year ago with neither team winning on the road.
Last meeting:
April 7, 2022 – Bucks 127, Celtics 121
Despite Marcus Smart, Daniel Theis and Jaylen Brown combined for 73 points for Boston, the Celtics fell 127-121 to the Bucks thanks to Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday combined for 80 points. Bobby Portis also contributed off the bench with 17 points and 7 rebounds. The Bucks outshot the Celtics 48-44 in that game.
Latest injury news:
Deer: Khris Middleton (knee) – DOUBTFUL
Celtics: Danilo Gallinari (knee – ACL) – OUT, Robert Williams III (knee) – DOUBTFUL
Projected beginners:
THROWED BUCKS BEGINNERS:
- G Jrue holidayguard 6-4: 18.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 7.5 assists
- G Grayson Allenguard 6-3: 10.3 points, 3.7 rebounds
- F Khris Middleton (Q)6-7 forward: 11.1 points, 4.4 rebounds
- F Giannis Antetokounmpoforward 7-0: 31.4 points, 11.3 rebounds, 5.2 assists
- C Brook Lopez7-0 center: 14.8 points, 5.9 rebounds
PROJECTED CELTIC INITIATORS:
- Smart Marcusguard 6-3: 11.6 points, 7.3 assists
- G/F Jaylen Brown6-6 guard/forward: 26.5 points, 7.5 rebounds
- F Jayson Tatum6-8 forward: 30.5 points, 8.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists
- F Grant Williams6-6 forward: 9.2 points, 4.6 rebounds
- C Al Horford6-9 center: 10.0 points, 6.4 rebounds
Betting odds:
- The Celtics are currently 4.5-point favorites over the Bucks on Saturday afternoon, according to SI Sportsbook.
- The over/under for this match is currently set at 223.5 points in total.
To monitor :
- The Bucks currently rank 17th in the league in offensive rating and 3rd in the league in defensive rating.
- The Celtics currently rank 1st in the league in offensive rating and 8th in the league in defensive rating.
- Boston is 114-109 against Milwaukee.
- The Celtics are currently averaging 118.1 points per game this season, 2nd in the NBA, and the Bucks are allowing an average of 109.2 points per game against their opponents, 5th in the NBA.
Be sure to follow the latest episode of The Fast Break Podcast hosted by Fastbreak Brett Siegel!
broadcast on Apple podcast and Spotify, The Fast Break Podcast takes you inside the league with the latest news, information, rumors and interviews from those close to the action for all 30 teams. Be on the lookout for a new episode every Friday.