The Chicago Bulls (19-21) visit the Boston Celtics (28-12) on Monday night. Action tips off at 7:40 pm ET. Below we continue our NBA odds series with a Bulls-Celtics prediction and pick.
Chicago has won three straight games to bump them into ninth place in the Eastern Conference. The Bulls have covered 53% of their games while 50% have gone over the projected point total. Boston has won two consecutive games and remains the No. 1 seed in the East. The Celtics have covered 55% of their games while 53% have gone over. This will be the fourth and final meeting between the two teams. The Bulls won two games in Chicago by double digits but lost in Boston by four.
Here are the Bulls-Celtics NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Bulls-Celtics Odds
Chicago Bulls: +8.5 (-110)
Boston Celtics: -8.5 (-110)
Over: 238 (-110)
Under: 238 (-110)
How To Watch Bulls Vs. Celtics
TV: NBA TV, NBCS Chicago, NBCS Boston
Stream: NBA League Pass
Time: 7:30 pm ET/ 4:30 pm PT
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Bulls Could Cover The Spread
Chicago has an excellent chance to cover the spread tonight thanks to their stars. While the Bulls may not be deep, they have three guys who can be among the best players on the court on any given night. Lately, that’s started with guard Zach LaVine. LaVine has had an up-and-down season working his way back after knee surgery, but he’s really started to flourish in the last two games. The 27-year-old drained 11 threes en route to 41 points in their win over Philly and then followed it up with a six-three, 36-point performance in their win over Utah. Boston ranks toward the middle of the pack in defending the three – setting LaVine up for yet another potentially big night.
If the game comes down to the wire, Chicago could have an advantage. The Bulls rank sixth in both fourth-quarter scoring (27.7 PPG) and fourth-quarter defense (26 Opp. PPG). That starts with forward DeMar DeRozan who leads the league in fourth-quarter scoring, averaging 8.4 PPG. The forward epitomizes what it means to be a clutch player, but his theatrics are not just reserved for the end of games. DeMar is for the entirety of the game thanks to his team-leading 26.4 PPG. Despite not being an outside shooter, DeRozan still manages to shoot 50.4% from the floor and does an excellent job getting to the free-throw line. Boston couldn’t slow him down in their previous three matchups as the 33-year-old averaged 33 PPG against the Celtics this season. Coming off a 35-point outing, look for DeRozan to continue his strong play tonight.
Neither Chicago nor Boston is an excellent rebounding team, but they both do a good job cleaning up the defensive glass and limiting opposing offensive rebounds. That being said, Chicago does have a sizable advantage in that department thanks to Nikola Vucevic. With opposing center Robert Williams’ minutes still being carefully managed, Vucevic will be the best rebounder on the floor for the majority of the game. That bodes well for the Bulls as Vuc’ is in the midst of a stellar season. The 6’10” big man averages 16.8 PPG and ranks fifth in the league with 10.9 RPG while still shooting 52% from the floor. He faired well against the Celtics this season, averaging 18 PPG and a staggering 16 RPG. His track record against the Celtics should give Bulls’ backers a lot of confidence in their ability to cover a hefty spread tonight.
Why The Celtics Could Cover The Spread
Boston holds the best record in the NBA and thus has an excellent chance of covering tonight. The Celtics rank first in the league in scoring margin (+5.4), points per game (118.1 PPG), and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.77). There isn’t anything this team doesn’t do well and they have the added advantage of rostering arguably the best duo in the league.
Both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown find themselves in the midst of career seasons. Tatum has been an MVP candidate all season long. The do-it-all forward averages the fifth-most points in the NBA (30.8 PPG) and also leads his team in rebounding (8.1 RPG). While Chicago has held him to just 42% shooting, his 30-10-6 stat line shows how effective he can be even when the shots aren’t falling. Tatum remains one of the most consistent scorers in the league having scored 25+ in 11 straight games. Although Brown hasn’t cracked in the MVP race, he’s having a stellar year himself by averaging 27 PPG and 7.0 RPG. Brown struggled against the Bulls this season but his track record suggests a bounce-back performance tonight.
Final Bulls-Celtics Prediction & Pick
Chicago played Boston tough in each of their previous three matchups and I don’t see that changing tonight.
Final Bulls-Celtics Prediction & Pick: Chicago Bulls +8.5 (-110)
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