NBA Summer League: Boston Celtics vs. Milwaukee Bucks prediction, odds, TV channel
The first game of the 2022 Summer League slate did not go according to plan for the Boston Celtics, who were on the wrong end of an 88-78 score during their Eastern Conference finals ‘rematch’ against the Miami Heat.
There were positives that came from the result, however, as JD Davison proved Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens right with a performance that, while shaky, showed plenty of promise. Taken with the No. 53 pick, Davison was ticketed as a low-risk, high-reward gamble. He entered college as one of the state of Alabama’s top prospects and underperformed under Alabama Crimson Tide HC Nate Oats in his singular collegiate campaign. On Saturday, he shot just 3/11 but dished out six assists and showed off a motor that could get him minutes in 2022-23 on nights other Celtics aren’t showing enough effort.
Elsewhere, Mfiondu Kabengele showed out and gave fans hope he can be the roster’s missing piece. After trading Daniel Theis away, the Boston Celtics are now in need of a backup center, and the six-foot-10 forward showed off incredible versatility for his size, amassing 14 points (5-7 FG), six rebounds, three assists and a steal in 24 minutes of floor-time. His four turnovers were troubling but nothing to put too much stock into considering his usage rate on the Cs would be minimal.
Ultimately, Boston’s shots weren’t falling against Miami–specifically for Sam Hauser, who shot 2-for-12 from the field, including 1-for-9 from long range, to finish with seven points–and their rim-protection was suspect — a damning reality for Trevion Williams, who was outshined by Kabengele and did little to boost his candidacy for one of the C’s final three roster spots. Can that change against Milwaukee?
Hardwood Houdini has your odds and a prediction for the NBA TV-televised Summer League tilt between the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks Monday night:
Boston Celtics vs. Milwaukee Bucks odds, spread, over/under
The Celtics are 3.5-point underdogs against the Bucks in Las Vegas. Milwaukee is a -165 favorite, with the Cs moneyline set at +140. The over/under for the game has been placed at 172 points.
Celtics vs. Bucks prediction
Quite frankly, the Celtics can’t possibly shoot as poorly against the Bucks as they did against Miami. If it weren’t for such a putrid showing almost across the board, Boston would probably be favored against a Bucks squad that’s low on potential outside of rookie Marjon Beauchamp.
Take those plus-money Cs. Summer League is a crapshoot, but Boston will have a better shot with better shooting tonight.