Two early Eastern Conference title contenders, Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics will open their NBA campaign against each other on Wednesday night at TD Garden.
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Boston Celtics TNT — 7:30 PM ET — Line: MIL -4.0 | OU 224 points
The tip-off time for this game is slated for 7:30 p.m. ET with TNT providing live television coverage and Watch TNT streaming the action live for those using streaming devices, such as Firesticks, Fire TV, Apple, and Android devices.
Milwaukee will open as a four-point favorite with ESPN’s Basketball Power Index giving the Bucks a 65.7% chance to beat the Celtics.
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Boston won two of the three meetings last season against Milwaukee, including two in a row and the home side will be confident about extending that run when the pair meet again at the Garden.
The Bucks went 0-3 in preseason earlier this month, losing twice to the Dallas Mavericks and then against the New Orleans Pelicans in the third game.
The Celtics also failed to win in the preseason after falling to the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers in their two exhibition games.
Two-time reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is looking forward to getting the season underway again as he and his teammates try to erase the disappointments from last year.
Milwaukee went 56-17 overall last season, which was the best in the league, and 37-7 in Eastern Conference play but lost to the Miami Heat in the conference semifinals.
“I think we’ve got to get better,” Antetokounmpo said. “We throw a first punch. We’ve got to throw a second punch, and the second punch is gotta be better in the playoffs.
“You’ve got to basically do what you do in the regular season, you’ve got to carry over in the playoffs, then you’ve got to do it even better.”
Meanwhile, Boston finished with a 48-24 overall record last season and 30-13 in conference play.
The Bucks scored 118.7 points per game and gave away 108.6 defensively.
Boston scored 113.7 points per game last term and gave up 107.3.
The Celtics will be without All-Star guard Kemba Walker until January because of a left knee injury.
INJURIES: Celtics: Romeo Langford: out (right wrist), Kemba Walker: out (left knee).
Bucks: None listed.
