Boston Celtics (21-5) vs Chicago Bulls (12-15)
December 19, 2024 at 07:30 PM EST
The Line: Betting Odds: Boston Celtics -14.5 — Over/Under: 246.5
The Chicago Bulls and the Boston Celtics duke it out at the TD Garden on Thursday night. Here’s a Chicago Bulls vs Boston Celtics Prediction. This article will include a Chicago Bulls vs Boston Celtics Pick.
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls have been in decent form as they’ve won four of their last six games overall and they will be aiming for a third straight victory after sneaking past the Raptors in a 122-121 road win on Monday. Nikola Vucevic led the team with 24 points on 10 of 17 shooting, Coby White added 19 points with five assists while Ayo Dosunmu chipped in with 12 points and five assists. As a team, the Bulls shot 46 percent from the field and 14 of 40 from the 3-point line as they took control of the contest with a 42-point burst in the third quarter to build a 16-point lead, which proved to be just enough to hold off a late rally from the Raptors.
Boston Celtics
Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics have been on a tear as they’ve won 12 of their last 14 games overall and they will be gunning for a third straight victory after blowing past the lowly Wizards in a 112-98 road defeat on Sunday. Jayson Tatum led the team with 28 points, 12 rebounds, and two assists, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard scored 15 points each while Jrue Holiday chipped in with 12 points. As a team, the Celtics shot 43 percent from the field and 18 of 46 from the 3-point line as they hit the ground running with 67 points in the first quarter to take a 15-point lead into halftime which ballooned to 22 points before the Celtics rested their starters.
Why the Chicago Bulls will win
- The Bulls have won four of their last five night games.
- The Celtics have failed to cover the spread in each of their last eight games as favorites against Eastern Conference opponents following a win.
- The Bulls have covered the spread in each of their last five games as underdogs against the Celtics following a win.
Total Points Facts
- Each of the Bulls’ last nine Thursday games has gone OVER the total points line.
- Each of the last four night games between the Bulls and Celtics has gone OVER the total points line.
Boston Celtics Player Facts
- Jrue Holiday ranks T13th amongst qualified players for FT% (88.9%) this season.
- Jaylen Brown ranks 18th amongst qualified players for points per game (23.8) this season.
Chicago Bulls Player Facts
- Ayo Dosunmu ranks T11th amongst qualified Guards for FG% (50.0%) this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Celtics rank 1st in the league for three-point field goal attempts per game this season (51.1).
- The Celtics rank 1st in the league for opponent free throws made per game this season (13.8).
- The Bulls rank 1st in the league for Q3 points per game this season (32.2).
- The Bulls rank 1st in the league for H2 points per game this season (60.9).
Chicago Bulls vs Boston Celtics Prediction
The Bulls are expecting to have Nikola Vucevic in the lineup as he deals with an illness, but they are still keeping an eye on Dalen Terry and Zach LaVine who are both questionable, while the Celtics could be missing Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis. The Bulls haven’t been at their best lately, but they would’ve taken plenty of confidence from their win over the Raptors on Monday and they are tempting in this matchup given the hefty line for this one. The Celtics were always going to be massive favorites at home, but this line just seems a little too generous, so I will take the Bulls with the hefty start in this spot.