The Milwaukee Bucks host the Boston Celtics at the Fiserv Forum on Friday, April 3, at 8:00 p.m. ET.
The Bucks are 30-46 and 11th in the East with a 17-21 home record, while the Celtics are 51-25 and second in the East with a 25-14 road record.
The Bucks are coming off a surprising 119-113 loss against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday, while the Celtics picked up a dominant 147-129 win over the Miami Heat on Wednesday as well. The last meeting between these teams took place on March 2, 2026, with the Celtics picking up a 108-81 win. Tonight’s game will be the final matchup between the rivals this season, with the Celtics leading 2-1 so far.
The Bucks are without star Giannis Antetokounmpo, so the franchise will be led by Ryan Rollins, who’s averaging 17.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.6 assists this season. Rollins is listed as probable for this clash. Summer signing Myles Turner has an opportunity to shine in this game, coming in with 11.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks averages on the season.
The Celtics have been led by Jaylen Brown, averaging 28.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 5.3 assists over the season. He’s joined by Jayson Tatum, whose looking better with each game after returning early from an Achilles tear, averaging 21.3 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 4.8 assists since his return.
The Celtics enter this matchup as clear favorites against a Bucks team that’s likely locked into the No. 11 seed. As a result, Milwaukee’s incentive to tank is limited. That factor makes this a more competitive matchup than it may appear on paper.
Injury Report
Bucks
Ryan Rollins.: Probable (hip)
Jericho Sims.: Probable (knee)
Gary Trent Jr.: Questionable (hip)
Giannis Antetokounmpo: Out (knee)
Thanasis Antetokounmpo: Out (calf)
Kevin Porter Jr.: Out (knee)
Bobby Portis: Out (wrist)
Celtics
Nikola Vucevic: Out (finger)
Why The Bucks Have The Advantage
The Bucks run an efficient offense, ranking 10th in the NBA for field goal percentage with 47.7%. They’re very results-oriented in how they approach each matchup, with outside shooting being the weapon of choice when the shooters are hot. If they’re not, the Bucks try to cook up actions to attack the paint or create open mid-range opportunities. This sort of tactical flexibility without Giannis available makes them a little identity-less, but it does guarantee the team targets the matchup they have upcoming.
The team has a 112.0 offensive rating on the season and a 117.1 defensive rating, proving that they can make things happen, although most encounters go the other way for them. They’re outmatched by the Celtics across almost every major stat over the season, so this will be a tall task for them on Friday.
The Bucks have had to hold their season together by trying to maximize a flawed roster around Giannis. His absence also means many of their potential advantages in this game are wiped out. But the Bucks have a veteran coach like Doc Rivers leading them and multiple productive role-players who have shone without winning expectations, so hoping for a big night from these rotational players like Kyle Kuzma or AJ Green might be one of the only things they can do.
The Bucks essentially have only one advantage they can rely on, which is their outside shooting. The Bucks are one of the best shooting teams in the NBA, ranking No. 2 in three-point percentage with a 38.6% conversion rate from outside. They rank No. 11 in attempts (38.6), so the Bucks have shown this season that they can rely on their outside shooting without making it their only weapon against opponents. The team was built with outside shooting in mind, but that also leaves open many deficiencies that will be attacked by the Celtics.
Why The Celtics Have The Advantage
The Celtics are unquestionably one of the best teams in the NBA and might be the favorites to come out of the East. The team has had a 119.6 offensive rating (2nd) and a 111.8 defensive rating (fourth), for a +7.8 net rating (fourth). Most of this was without Tatum being available, so the former All-NBA First Team forward has made them even more dangerous since returning. The Celtics have a 121.9 offensive rating and a 112.5 defensive rating with Tatum this season.
The Celtics are better rebounders (46.5 RPG), score more points (114.4 PPG), and are better at blocking shots (5.1 BPG). This looks like a total mismatch on-paper without Antetokounmpo available, just like many late-season mismatches between contending teams needing every win and tanking teams needing every loss.
The Celtics aren’t as efficient outside shooters as the Bucks, but they do attempt the fourth-most three-pointers with 42.1 attempts per game. Their conversion rate is lower than Milwaukee’s (38.6%), but their sheer volume of shots makes them pretty evenly matched on that front. The Bucks are one of the worst teams in the NBA when it comes to protecting the perimeter, with teams shooting 37.8% against them from three, so the Celtics will try to exploit this weakness for all it’s worth.
Ultimately, the advantages are obvious when you view it as a No. 2 seed looking to secure its position in the standings against the No. 11 seed who’d rather lose for better draft lottery odds.
X-Factors
Kyle Kuzma hasn’t replicated the numbers he achieved on the Washington Wizards without Giannis on the Bucks, but the forward has been one of their best players with Giannis absent. He’s averaged 13.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists this season. The Bucks have tasted victory in previous games where Kuzma suddenly had a huge game, so a win here might be contingent on the 30-year-old having an impressive night.
Jericho Sims is currently listed as probable to play, so the Bucks still have to decide whether he’ll have the chance to be an x-factor in this game. He’s averaging 4.4 points and 5.3 rebounds this season and could be a great option to attack the Celtics interior defense, which is one of their only on-court weaknesses this season. His role is uncomplicated, which is why he could have the biggest impact if he has a decent game.
Derrick White is one of the best guards in the NBA, and he’s proven it this season for the Celtics by averaging 16.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists. Not only did he tide the franchise over in Tatum’s absence, but he has also effortlessly gone back to fitting around the stars on the team and adjusting his play accordingly. He can go off for 40 extremely efficient points or have an anonymous scoring game, but he’ll always be incredibly impactful as a defender.
Payton Pritchard is Boston’s sixth man, averaging 17.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 5.1 assists off the bench this season. He’s taken a huge jump as a defender and is a far more active rebounder than people would give someone of his size credit. He hustles and plays hard while also being arguably the third-best pure scorer on the team.
Prediction
The Celtics should be expected to pick up a win against the fledgling Bucks to try and extend their lead over the No. 4 seed in the East, and all behind them. The Bucks will put up a fight, but the Celtics have a lot of reason to fight for this, chief among them the fact that the New York Knicks are just 2.5 games away from catching the Celtics at No. 2. This is essentially a must-win against a team that’s at a much lower level, so it’s safe to give the winning tag to the team that’s 8-2 in their last 10 games.
Prediction: Bucks 113, Celtics 122
