3 Best NBA Prop Bets Today Bucks vs. Celtics Game 1 (Trust Giannis Antetokounmpo vs. League's Best Defense)
By Peter Dewey
The second round of the NBA playoffs tips off Sunday afternoon with the Boston Celtics taking on the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks.
Boston made quick work of the Brooklyn Nets in the first round, winning four straight games. The Celtics' No. 1 rated defense entering the postseason made them a title contender this season.
The Bucks, on the other hand, could be in a bit of trouble with Khris Middleton likely missing the entire series with a sprained MCL in his knee.
WynnBET Sportsbook has the Bucks as 4.5-point underdogs in Game 1 in Boston. If you aren’t sold on a side for the game, here are a few props to consider for Sunday’s showdown:
Best Prop Bets for Bucks vs. Celtics Game 1
- Bobby Portis OVER 13.5 Points (-125)
- Jayson Tatum UNDER 6.5 Rebounds (-110)
- Giannis Antetokounmpo OVER 30.5 Points (-135)
Who should you bet on this NBA postseason? Check out BetSided's breakdown of the Eastern and Western Conference brackets!
Bobby Portis OVER 13.5 Points (-125)
This prop has been a go to when betting on the Bucks, especially with Middelton out of the lineup.
Bobby Portis has thrived with Middelton out, averaging 14.7 points on 12.9 field goal attempts per game.
He’s also averaging 15.5 points per game as a starter this season while taking 12.5 shots per game. As a reserve, he’s averaging just 10.4 points per game on 10.4 shots. The Bucks need Portis to pick up a bigger scoring load, and he should have some decent looks with Giannis Antetokounmpo commanding a lot of the attention from Boston.
Portis has scored 18, 14 and 14 points in the three games since Middleton was injured, and I expect him to go over 13.5 points again on Sunday.
Jayson Tatum UNDER 6.5 Rebounds (-110)
It’s really hard not to love Jayson Tatum’s game, but one area where he has been lacking this postseason is on the glass.
Tatum has grabbed four, six, five and three rebounds in his four playoffs games, and it is likely because he is drawing tough defensive assignments every night (he guarded Kevin Durant in the first round).
If Boston uses Tatum on Giannis in Game 1, I don’t see the opportunities being there for him on the glass against a Bucks team that ranked sixth in the NBA in rebounding percentage (51.2 percent) during the regular season.
Giannis Antetokounmpo OVER 30.5 Points (-135)
We’re getting a discount on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s points prop here because of how good Boston’s defense has been this season.
However, the Celtics don’t have anyone (nobody in the NBA does) who matches up well with Giannis in a one-on-one scenario.
Giannis is too quick for Al Horford, and he’s much bigger than Tatum and Jaylen Brown. He’s cleared this number in three of his five playoff games this year, and that was with the Bucks blowing out the Bulls several times.
In a close game where he plays a ton of minutes, I think Giannis is able to get downhill and get his buckets against the Celtics’ No. 1 defense.
Find Peter Dewey’s full betting record in the NBA this season here.