In the latest in our “Countdown to Celtics” videos, NBC Sports Boston takes a look back at players’ year so far. Here is a look at Jayson Tatum, who is leading the team in scoring.
Don't miss NBC Sports Boston's coverage of Celtics-Bucks, which begins Friday at 5:30 p.m. with Celtics Pregame Live followed by tip-off at 6:30 p.m. You can also stream the game on the MyTeams App.
The Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks are the two best teams in the Eastern Conference, and they'll kick off their NBA seeding game schedules with a much-anticipated matchup from the Orlando bubble Friday night.
The Bucks own the league's top record, they average the most points scored per game, they give up the fifth-fewest points per game and have the league's reigning MVP winner in superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. They are the betting favorites to win the Eastern Conference in the 2020 playoffs, and deservedly so.
The Celtics might be the Bucks' top competition in the East. The C's have the best scoring depth of any team in the conference with three players averaging 20-plus points per game. Brad Stevens also is one of the best head coaches in the league, and Jayson Tatum was playing at top 10 player level before the season was halted.
The season series is currently split at one win apiece, with each team winning on its home floor. This game means more to the Celtics because the Bucks would have to go 1-7 or 2-6 in the seeding games to lose the No. 1 seed for the playoffs. The C's still have a chance to earn the No. 2 seed and trail the Toronto Raptors by three games entering the restart. Getting the No. 2 seed could make Boston's potential path to the NBA Finals far easier.
Here are the latest odds and props for this Celtics vs. Bucks matchup, courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. Coverage of Celtics-Bucks begins at 5:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Boston.
Boston Celtics
Find the latest Boston Celtics news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Boston.
Point Spread: Celtics +5 (-114), Bucks -5 (106)
Point Total: Over 218.5 (-113), Under 218.5 (-108)
Moneyline: Celtics (+163), Bucks (-195)
Top Scorer
Giannis Antetokounmpo: -139
Jayson Tatum: +250
Khris Middleton: +650
Jaylen Brown: +1000
Gordon Hayward: +2500
Player Points
Giannis Antetokounmpo: Over 27.5 (-110), Under 27.5 (-110)
Khris Middleton: Over 20.5 (+110), Under 20.5 (-134)
Jayson Tatum: Over 22.5 (-110), Under 22.5 (-110)
Jaylen Brown: Over 18.5 (+100), Under 18.5 (-121)
Gordon Hayward: Over 15.5 (-110), Under 15.5 (-110)
Total Points
Celtics: Over 107.5 (-110), Under 107.5 (-117)
Bucks: Over 111.5 (-115), Under 111.5 (-113)