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NBA Celtics Bucks

Free NBA Picks: Best bets for Friday games 22 February 2019

Tagged: Free NBA Picks

Will Boston buck Milwaukee?

NBA action returns after the All-Star weekend, as the competition enters the final stretch and the race towards playoffs begins.

Two teams that will certainly be there are the Celtics and Bucks, who lock horns in the highlight game on Friday.

Check out our free NBA picks for that blockbuster, as well as the Sacramento and Golden State local rivalry.

And don't forget the battle of the Jameses, when LeBron and Harden face off in LA. 

 

Boston Celtics @ Milwaukee Bucks

NBA Odds: Celtics $2.92 (+5.5) / Bucks $1.41 (-5.5) 

Friday's feature fixture sees 4th play 1st in the Eastern Conference, when Boston travel to Milwaukee to take on Giannis and the Bucks.

Milwaukee have won 9 of their previous 10, the one loss coming to the Magic in a game where the Giannis Antetokounmpo didn't start.

The Greek Freak showed why he's the most exciting player in basketball in last weekend's MVP game, top scoring with 38 points.

 

Still only 24, he's looking like he'll dominate the NBA for years to come.

This season, he leads Milwaukee in the three major stat departments, with 27 points, 13 rebounds and 6 assists per game.

However, it wouldn't be fair to the Bucks to say that they're a one-man team.  

Khris Middleton is having a career-best season, while Eric Bledsoe is also playing some of the best basketball of his career.

Both these guards have been damaging from behind the arc, helping Milwaukee to 13.1 three-pointers per game, second only to Golden State.

Interestingly, the Celtics also average exactly 13.1 three-pointers per game.

Both teams have quality three-point shooters, and it is why both are doing well this season.

However, for the Celtics, their 2018/19 NBA campaign has failed to hit the heights expected of them.

They have looked clunky all campaign, playing as if unsure who their main weapons are.

The two break-out young stars from last season, Jayson Tatum and Marcus Smart, have failed to replicate their form and high shooting percentages from 2017/18.

With Gordon Hayward also not shooting at his best, particularly from deep, it's not surprising that the Celtics have struggled.

However, it looks as if this might be about to turn around.

The Celtics are shooting at 40% from deep in their past 3, an improvement on their season average of 37%.

Conversely, the Bucks only averaged a shocking 26% from deep in their last 3, well down on their season-long average of 35%.

As both teams go for plenty of threes, it will come down to shooting percentage, where Boston are looking the goods.

NBA Betting StatisticsKey NBA Stat

  • The Bucks have won 20 of their past 22 home games against Eastern opponents: Milwaukee to win @ $1.41
Free NBA PickFree NBA Pick: Boston to cover the +5.5 point line @ $1.92 

Reasoning: While they are shooting better of late and look primed for an upset win, you can't discount the quality of Giannis, and why going with the line is a safer bet.

 

Sacramento Kings @ Golden State Warriors 

NBA Odds: Kings $6.05 (+11.5) / Warriors $1.13 (-11.5)

This California derby sees the up-and-coming Kings look to topple their bigger brothers on their home court.

Sacramento have been one of the surprise stories of the 2018/9 NBA season.

They currently sit in 9th on the Western table, a few wins outside of the playoff spots.

This quality campaign has been built of the stellar sophomore season from De'Aaron Fox, and the superb three-point shooting from Buddy Hield.

Hield has made the fourth-most three-pointers this campaign with 195, only topped by All-Star starters Paul George, Stephen Curry and James Harden.

However, at 45% from deep, Hield is shooting at a better percentage than these three giants of the game. 

With the splash brothers Curry and Thompson lining up for the Warriors, this is another game where three-pointers are expected to dominate.

Therefore, Hield's superior percentage from deep gives Sacramento a chance of pulling off an upset.

These teams have already met three times this season, with the Warriors prevailing by 1, 5 and 4 points respectively.

All the contests have gone right down to the wire, proving that Sacramento are just starting to draw level with the Warriors.

However, as we have seen this season, the Warriors just have the experience and quality to get over the line.

If Curry and Thompson aren't shooting well, Durant will step up and dominate.

And with DeMarcus Cousins on the floor, the Warriors can get it done from inside the arc. 

Since Cousins made his long-awaited return from an Achilles injury, the Warriors have won 10 of their 12 games.

As well as being a superb scorer and rebounder, his size and tenacity draws defenders in, leading to more space for the likes of Curry and Durant.

If Sacramento make this mistake, they could be on the end of a thumping. 

NBA Betting StatisticsKey NBA Stat

  • In the three games these teams have played each other in 2018/19, the average total points scored is 246: Total match points over 238.5 @ $1.90

Free NBA PickFree NBA Pick: Total match points over 238.5 @ $1.90 

Reasoning: With both teams highly accomplished three-point teams, another big score is expected.

 

 

Houston Rockets @ Los Angeles Lakers 

NBA Odds: Rockets $1.73 (-2.5) / Lakers $2.11 (+2.5)

Now that the NBA season is in its final stretch, the Lakers need to start putting the results together if they want to make the playoffs.

With a fully fit LeBron in their side, and with the Anthony Davis trade saga behind them, they have no excuses.

Here they welcome James Harden and the Rockets to the Staples Center, in what looks to be an evenly-balanced match-up.

Harden, the MVP favourite with bookmakers' NBA odds, has gone an astonishing 31 straight NBA games where he has scored 30+ points.

Despite the massive and consistent scoring output, NBA fans remain unconvinced that Harden would be a worthy recipient of his second consecutive MVP award.

He scores plenty of points, but he also takes plenty more shots than any other player in the league.

Despite being the league top-scorer, Harden has the worst field goal percentage of any player in the top ten for most points.

Therefore, don't believe that Harden is a bigger factor in this match than LeBron, whose all-court ability is second to none.

As Harden and LeBron will effectively cancel each other out, this match will be decided by the other players on the court.

This is where the Lakers have a slight advantage, as they have more options in offence.

Kyle Kuzma is a player who really stepped up while LeBron was injured.

And Kuzma is in great form, coming off a 35-point, 6-rebound game in the rising star match during the All-Star weekend.

Compare this with Harden, who only managed 12 points in the main event on Sunday.

While it's risky to read too much into the form from the All-Star weekend, it will certainly give Kuzma plenty of confidence, while potentially knocking Harden's around a bit.

NBA Betting StatisticsKey NBA Stat

  • The Rockets have won 9 of their past 10 road games against the Lakers: Houston to win @ $1.73

Free NBA PickFree NBA Pick: LA Lakers to win @ $2.11

Reasoning: With their recent dramas behind them, expect the Lakers to come out firing.

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