The Milwaukee Bucks looked vulnerable during their second-round Game 1 loss to the Boston Celtics. But after two decisive wins, the Bucks have taken control of their Eastern Conference semifinal. Game 5 will be back at Fiserv Forum this Wednesday; TNT has the coverage beginning at 8 PM ET.
At press time, the Celtics are 1.5-point home favorites going into Game 4 on Monday (7 PM ET, TNT) with a total of 220. Combo guard Marcus Smart (oblique) hopes to play for Boston after being cleared for full contact before Sunday’s practice; if he’s not deemed ready for Game 4, Smart is likely to return in Game 5. He was Boston’s best defensive guard during the regular season, providing a steady hand alongside Kyrie Irving while hitting a career-high 36.4% from downtown.
The Bucks have had some injury issues with their backcourt. Malcolm Brogdon (plantar fascia) isn’t expected to be ready for Monday, but might be available by Wednesday. Brogdon’s replacement in the starting lineup, Sterling Brown (back), has been moved to the bench in favor of PF Nikola Mirotic, who has played well against Boston’s smaller lineups. Back-up PG George Hill has also enjoyed a strong series.
