Celtics vs. Bucks Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Monday, March 2

A pair of Eastern Conference teams playing the second night of a back-to-back face off on Monday in Milwaukee, as the Milwaukee Bucks host Jaylen Brown and the surging Boston Celtics.

Boston picked up yet another win on Sunday, beating the Philadelphia 76ers to move to 40-20 in the 2025-26 season. Boston has the No. 1 offense in the NBA and is the No. 2 seed in the East despite the fact that Jayson Tatum (Achilles) has not played in a game this season.

Now, the C’s find themselves as road favorites on Monday against a Bucks team that was blown out by the Chicago Bulls, who had previously lost 11 in a row. Milwaukee split its first two meetings with Boston, but it has not looked like a playoff team, especially when Giannis Antetokounmpo is out of the lineup.

The Bucks are just 11-18 when the two-time MVP is out, and he has not played since January due to a calf strain.

Can Boston cover the spread as a road favorite and inch closer to the No. 1 seed in the conference?

Let’s dive into the odds, my favorite player prop and a prediction for Monday’s action.

Celtics vs. Bucks Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Spread

Celtics -7.5 (-110)
Bucks +7.5 (-110)

Moneyline

Celtics: -310
Bucks: +250

Total

215.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Celtics vs. Bucks How to Watch

Date: Monday, March 2
Time: 7:30 p.m. EST
Venue: Fiserv Forum
How to Watch (TV): NBA TV
Celtics record: 40-20
Bucks record: 26-33

Celtics vs. Bucks Injury Reports

Celtics Injury Report

Not submitted yet

Bucks Injury Report

Not submitted yet

Celtics vs. Bucks Best NBA Prop Bets

Celtics Best NBA Prop Bet

Neemias Queta OVER 7.5 Rebounds (-118)

Earlier today, I shared in my NBA Best Bets column – Peter’s Points – why Queta should have a big game on the glass:

Queta is coming off the best game of his NBA career on Sunday, finishing with 27 points and 17 rebounds on 10-of-14 shooting in a win over the Philadelphia 76ers.

Now, he takes on a Milwaukee Bucks team that has struggled on the glass all season long, ranking 27th in the league in rebound percentage and 18th in opponent rebounds per game.

Queta is averaging 8.4 boards per game this season, and he’s remained the No. 1 option at center for Boston even after the trade deadline acquisition of Nikola Vucevic. Queta has 10 or more boards in five of his last 10 games and at least eight boards in seven of his last 12.

He also had a 10-rebound game in his first meeting with the Bucks this season and eight boards against them on Feb. 1. Queta is averaging over 16 rebound chances per game this season, and he’ll need to convert just half of those to clear this prop.

After such a strong showing on Sunday, Queta feels like an ideal buy-low candidate in this Eastern Conference matchup.

Celtics vs. Bucks Prediction and Pick

Since both of these teams are playing a back-to-back and may sit some players, I’m looking to the total on Monday night.

Boston has been one of the best UNDER teams in the NBA even though it has the best offense in the league. The C’s also rank in the top-10 in defensive rating, and they play at the slowest pace in the NBA.

That has led to some low-scoring affairs this season, including on the second night of back-to-backs where the UNDER is 8-2 for Boston.

Meanwhile, the Bucks struggled against a terrible Chicago defense on Sunday, scoring just 97 points in a 23-point loss.

Milwaukee is just 22nd in the league in offensive rating, and it lacks a go-to scoring option when Antetokounmpo is sidelined.

The Bucks also scored just 79 points in their last meeting with the C’s on Feb. 1. These teams have combined for 217 and 186 points in their two games in the 2025-26 season.

I think the UNDER is a great bet on Monday, especially if any regular rotation players end up sitting for the C’s.

Pick: UNDER 215.5 (-110 at DraftKings)

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.

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