| Game Time | 8:00 pm EST |
| Boston Celtics Line | -9.5 |
| Chicago Bulls Line | +9.5 |
| Total | 238.5 |
| TV: | NBA TV |
In this Eastern Conference battle between two teams coming off opposite outcomes in their previous games, the Boston Celtics are visiting the Chicago Bulls. The Celtics are rolling again and now they have Porzingis back in the lineup. They have lost only once in their last nine games, and are now visiting Chicago, who has been extremely inefficient at home. On the other hand, the Bulls are struggling to find their rhythm, as they are alternating wins and losses for their last seven games.
Below is a detailed analysis for Boston Celtics vs Chicago Bulls game.
Boston Celtics vs Chicago Bulls Prediction
Chicago Bulls Injury Report: Cody Zeller is out
Boston Celtics Injury Report: Al Horford is day-to-day, Kristaps Porzingis is out
Chicago Bulls Recent Form and Trends
The Bulls have an 8-12 record this season and are tied with the Pistons on the 10th place of the East. The Bulls are 9-11 against the spread and 12-8 in over/under. Chicago has a 2-6 home record, and 3-5 against the spread with a -10-point differential. The Bulls are 1-3 in their last 4 home games. Over is 3-1 in their last 4 games.
The Bulls are coming off a 119-133 loss in Orlando, even though they shot with 53% from the field. Their leading scorer Zach LaVine, struggled mightily in this game with just 8 points, while Ayo Dosunmu led Chicago’s offense with 21 points on 10-12 shooting from the field.
Zach LaVine leads the Bulls in scoring with an average of 21.6 points, adding 4.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists. Nikola Vucevic adds 20.4 points and a team-high 9.9 rebounds.
Boston Celtics Recent Form and Trends
The Celtics have a 15-3 record this season and are sitting on the second place of the East. Boston is 8-10 against the spread and 9-8-1 in over/under. The Celtics have an 8-1 road record but just 5-4 against the spread, with a +13.4-point differential. Boston is 8-1 in their last 9 games, but 3-7 against the spread in their last 10. Over is 5-2 in their last 7 games.
Boston is coming off a 126-94 win over the Clippers, as they shot with 51% from the field and saw the return of Kristaps Porzingis in the lineup. He played 22 points and had 16 points and 6 rebounds, while Jason Tatum and Payton Prichard led Boston’s offense with 20 points apiece.
Jason Tatum leads Boston in scoring this season, with an average of 28.4 points, adding 8.2 rebounds and a team-high 5.8 assists. Jaylen Brown adds 25 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.4 assists.
Statistical Breakdown
Offensively, the Bulls are averaging 118 points per game, which ranks 5th in the NBA. Chicago shoots with 47.2% from the field (10th) and with 38.3% from beyond the arc (5th). Defensively, they are the second-worse team in the NBA, allowing 123.5 points per game.
Offensively, the Celtics are third-best in the NBA with 120.2 points per game. They shoot 46.1% from the field (17th) and 37.5% from beyond the arc (9th). Defensively, they rank 6th in the NBA, allowing 109.6 points per game.
The Celtics won all three meetings against the Bulls last season, covering the spread in all three. They won both games in Chicago by 11 and 17 points. The Celtics are 7-2 in their last 9 overall meetings and over is 3-0 in their last 3 meetings.
Prediction
In this Boston Celtics vs Chicago Bulls Prediction, the Celtics are coming as -9.5 road favorites. The Celtics are the big favorite to win, but the line is too big. I cannot lay so many points with the Celtics on the road, especially after being 1-4 against the spread in their last five. I also cannot lay the plus points with a Chicago team that is 2-6 at home. Instead I like the over the total, as both teams are 8-3 to the over in their last 11 games combined. The Bulls are all about the over this season, with 241.5 average total points, and the Celtics boast the second-best offense in the league. Expect a high scoring game and take the over.
Nick’s Pick: Over 238.5