The Boston Celtics and the Chicago Bulls duke it out at the United Center on Saturday night. Here’s a Bulls vs Celtics Prediction. This article will include a Bulls vs Celtics Pick.
Boston Celtics Betting Preview
The Boston Celtics have been in pretty good form lately as they’ve won four of their last five games overall. They will be aiming for a third straight victory after outlasting the Nets in a 130-126 double overtime win last night. Payton Pritchard led the team with 32 points on 13 of 24 shooting, Jaylen Brown racked up a triple-double of 27 points with 10 rebounds and 12 assists while Sam Hauser chipped in with 19 points. As a team, the Celtics shot 45 percent from the field and 22 of 51 from the 3-point line as they got off to a slow start and had to work hard to overcome a 12-point deficit. However, they allowed the Nets to extend the game at the end of the fourth quarter, and they didn’t regain control until the second overtime period to escape with the gritty win.
Chicago Bulls Betting Preview
Meanwhile, the Chicago Bulls are starting to heat up again as they’ve won four of their last five games overall and they will be gunning for a fourth straight victory after beating the Timberwolves in a 120-115 road win on Thursday. Coby White led the team with 22 points, Josh Giddey tallied 21 points with six rebounds and five assists while Jalen Smith chipped in with 17 points on six of nine shooting. As a team, the Bulls shot 44 percent from the field and 17 of 39 from the 3-point line as they struggled to get going and fell behind by 14 points. However, they poured in 34 points in the second quarter to climb back into the contest. Still, the Bulls looked like they were in deep trouble when they trailed by four points late in the contest, before they closed the final 1:06 on a 9-0 run to steal the game at the end.
Why the Chicago Bulls will win
- The home team has won eight of the Bulls’ last nine games.
- The Celtics have lost four of their last five games at United Center following a road win.
- The Celtics have failed to cover the spread in each of their last four games on the second leg of a back-to-back after coming off overtime.
- The Bulls have covered the spread in four of their last five home games when playing with a rest advantage.
Why the Boston Celtics will win
- The Celtics have won 22 of their last 23 Saturday road games.
- The Bulls have lost eight of their last nine games against Celtics teams that held a winning record.
- The Celtics have covered the spread in each of their last five games following a road win.
- The Bulls have failed to cover the spread in six of their last seven games against opponents who are on the second leg of a back-to-back.
Total Points Facts
- Each of the Celtics’ last seven road games after coming off overtime have gone UNDER the total points line.
- Each of the last four games between the Celtics and Bulls have gone UNDER the total points line.
Chicago Bulls Player Facts
- Ayo Dosunmu ranks 5th amongst qualified players for 3P% (45.9%) this season.
- Nikola Vucevic ranks 12th amongst qualified players for rebounds per game (9.1) this season.
Boston Celtics Player Facts
- Payton Pritchard has recorded 10 games with 4+ assists and zero turnovers this season – most of any player in the league.
- Jaylen Brown has scored 25+ points in eight consecutive appearances – longest active streak of any player in the league.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Bulls rank 29th in the league for Q3 opponent points per game this season (30.9).
- The Bulls rank 29th in the league for H2 opponent points per game this season (60.1).
- The Celtics rank 1st in the league for opponent steals per game this season (5.8).
- The Celtics rank 1st in the league for turnovers per game this season (12.1).
Bulls vs Celtics Prediction
The Celtics are still missing Jayson Tatum, but they could have Derrick White back in the lineup after he was rested last night, while the Bulls are still missing Tre Jones and Zach Collins. The Celtics needed 58 minutes to take down the ice-cold Nets last night, but they have been on a great run and are still slight favorites on the road against an improving Bulls squad who just took down the Timberwolves. The Celtics are still favorites despite playing on zero days rest, but the Bulls have been on a roll and I think they can keep it going with a minor upset win at home in this spot.