Boston Celtics vs Milwaukee Bucks Prediction - 12/11/2025
Updated July 9, 2026
The Boston Celtics travel to Milwaukee on Thursday night for a highly anticipated NBA matchup with the Bucks that holds significant implications in the Eastern Conference. Boston enters this game as a clear favorite, boasting a stronger overall record and a roster better built to overcome their injuries. Conversely, the Bucks have struggled this season and will be without their perennial All-Star. Here, I look at this contest more closely and give you my Celtics vs Bucks prediction.
Boston has been one of the sharper teams in the league in recent weeks, riding a five-game winning streak into this contest. They’ve posted victories over competitive Eastern Conference rivals like the Knicks and Cavaliers over that stretch, defeating the rival Lakers as well. Derrick White has provided consistent scoring and playmaking, helping to offset the absence of injured star Jayson Tatum. Tatum continues to rehab from his Achilles injury sustained earlier in the year and remains out of action for the foreseeable future. But the Celtics have done a great job of overcoming that by stepping up around Jaylen Brown.
Milwaukee’s outlook is complicated by the absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is sidelined with a calf strain and expected to miss multiple weeks. The Bucks’ record reflects their struggles without him, as they’re below .500 and have a negative scoring differential. Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr. have stepped up in Giannis’ absence, but Milwaukee still ranks near the bottom of the league in rebounding and defensive efficiency without Giannis to help protect the rim. There are also trade rumors surrounding Antetokounmpo, as they could be headed toward a rebuild.
Player | Prop |
|---|---|
Derrick White | Over 18.5 Points |
Ryan Rollins | Over 6.5 Assists |
Kevin Porter Jr | Over 2.5 Three-Point Makes |
Score Projection: Boston Celtics 118 – Milwaukee Bucks 107
Win Probability: Boston Celtics 74%, Milwaukee Bucks 26%
The Bucks are just a mess right now and being without Giannis should be a death blow to their competitive nature at this point in time. I'm going to lay the points with the Celtics in this game, as they should be able to impose their will on a Milwaukee team that doesn't appear to know what it wants to do in the near future. Look for Boston to win by double-digits in this one.
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