Milwaukee, Wisconsin – The Milwaukee Bucks will host the Boston Celtics tonight, Tuesday, Feb. 14, but this matchup might not be the exciting Eastern Conference showdown that we have been hoping for. The two teams are currently ranked first and second respectively in the conference, and both have been in impressive form of late. The game will be live on TNT, and tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EST.
One of the key storylines heading into this game was the matchup between two of the NBA’s top scorers, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jayson Tatum. – Read More: Celtics top Grizzlies 119-109 behind team effort
Antetokounmpo, who ranks third in the league in scoring, has been averaging 32.4 points, 12.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game this season.
Tatum, who ranks sixth in the league in scoring, has been averaging 30.5 points, 8.6 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game this season.
The two standouts were slated to lock horns again this season, with the Bucks seeking to averange the last defeat. Unfortunately for the Celtics, though, Tatum will not be playing tonight as he is suffering from an illness.
This is also bad news for Boston as they are already without another top performer, Jaylen Brown, who is out due to a facial injury.
Boston enters the game on the back of a four-game winning streak, while Milwaukee has won ten straight games, making this game a battle between two in-form teams.
The Bucks have a record of 21-13 in Eastern Conference games and are currently leading the conference in rebounding, averaging 49.1 boards per game.
Antetokounmpo leads the team with 12.3 rebounds, which is the highest in the league this season.
The Celtics, on the other hand, have a record of 24-11 in Eastern Conference play. They have been averaging 13.0 turnovers per game this season and have been successful when committing fewer turnovers than their opponents, winning 16 out of 20 games.
Boston won the last matchup between the two teams, 139-118 on December 25th, with Tatum scoring an impressive 41 points to lead the team to victory –so he will certainly be missed tonight!
Jrue Holiday is one of the top performers for the Bucks, averaging 2.3 made 3-pointers per game and scoring 19.1 points per game, while shooting 36.8% from beyond the arc, according to Data Skrive.
With the likes of Tatum, Brown and Marcus Smart all out, the Celtics will need to rely on other players to step up if they want to get a result tonight.
NBA Schedule Tonight
Tuesday’s Games – Tuesday, Feb. 14
Boston Celtics at Milwaukee Bucks, 7:30 p.m.
Orlando Magic at Toronto Raptors, 7:30 p.m.
Sacramento Kings at Phoenix Suns, 9 p.m.
Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Clippers, 10 p.m.
Washington Wizards at Portland Trail Blazers, 10 p.m.
