Bucks vs. Celtics: TV Schedule, Live Stream, Spread Info and More

The Boston Celtics will host the Milwaukee Bucks Wednesday night, and both teams are happy to have recently ended long losing streaks. 

Kicking off the second half of the season with a victory was needed for both Boston and Milwaukee, but now one of them will unfortunately revert right back to a loss. 

Entering the All-Star break, the Celtics had lost five consecutive games and the Bucks had lost two straight. Milwaukee had also lost six of its last seven. 

The second half of the season is a chance to start fresh and make a strong push toward the postseason. Both teams are hoping to achieve this, but a loss on Wednesday will be tough. 

With that said, let's take a look at some specifics of this Eastern Conference showdown.

When: Wednesday, Feb. 29 at 7:30 p.m. ET 

Where: TD Garden, Boston, MA

Watch: CSNN

Live Stream: NBA League Pass

Betting Line:  Boston (-6.5) according to VegasInsider.com 

What's At Stake? 

Neither team can afford a loss right now, which is why this should be an intense game. Boston opens up a four-game home stand, and starting it off with a loss would be a crushing blow. 

The Bucks begin a three-game road trip against strong Eastern Conference teams, so a win over the Celtics would give them great confidence moving forward. 

Milwaukee is two-and-a-half games behind the eighth-place Celtics, which means they're in dire need of a victory tonight. 

Milwaukee Injury Report 

*According to CBS Sports

C Andrew Bogut (ankle): Out until April 

PF Drew Gooden (back): Questionable 

SF Stephen Jackson (hamstring): Questionable 

Boston Injury Report 

*According to CBS Sports

C Jermaine O'Neal (wrist): Questionable 

What They're Saying 

Charles F. Gardner writes for the the Journal Sentinel and he quoted Mike Dunleavy Jr. saying the win over the Wizards was great. 

"

At home, and a close game, it was certainly what we needed. We felt like we should have been in a position to win by a lot more, but it is what it is and we're happy to have the win.

"

Dunleavy scored a season-high 28 points, and he'll have to keep performing at a high level if the Bucks are going to beat the Celtics. 

This team has to show that it can hang with the big boys of the NBA. While the Bucks have done it at times this year, they have to do it tonight because each game of the second half of the season is so very crucial. 

Sean Deveney of the Sporting News reported that of the Celtics' top players and trade targets, it's Allen and not Rajon Rondo that "has generated the most interest from contenders." 

Considering the fact Boston doesn't appear to be as strong of a contender as they have been in recent years, this is very interesting. 

Breaking up the original big three would be a big move, and it is definitely something to watch out for in the coming weeks. 

Milwaukee Player to Watch 

Power forward Ersan Ilyasova leads the Bucks in rebounding, averaging 8.6 per game.

However, in his last five games, Ilyasova is averaging 13 boards, as well as 17 points per game. He's on fire as of late, and the Bucks need to keep feeding him the ball. 

Ilyasova will have to step up against Boston, as their big men are likely to frustrate him. With a strong showing from Ilyasova, the Bucks will be in good shape Wednesday night. 

Boston Player to Watch 

With news that Ray Allen is generating buzz as the March 15 NBA trade deadline looms, keep an eye on him to see how he plays. 

He didn't let anything affect him on Tuesday night, as he lead the Celtics in scoring in their win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Allen dropped 22 points, making 8-of-13 from the field and 4-of-8 from beyond the arc. 

Allen will need to shake off the reports and just keep shooting well if Boston plans to make up ground in the Eastern Conference. 

Key Matchup 

The key matchup in tonight's game is Milwaukee's offense against Boston's defense. 

Currently, the Celtics rank third in the league in points allowed. They know how to defend, but their offense has been in question recently, hence the losing streak before the break. 

The Bucks average 95 points per game, but the Celtics will smother them with defense, making it hard to reach that average. Every possession counts, so Milwaukee can't afford to have an off night. 

Prediction

Look for both teams to come out strong, shooting with great confidence after picking up much-needed wins. It's be very close in the first half, as the Celtics defense will prevent the Bucks from going wild. 

In the end, I give the nod to the Celtics because they're at home, plus they know they desperately need this victory. Building a win streak will do wonders for Boston for the second half of the season.

Celtics 87, Bucks 81