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The Celtics host the Bulls for their second matchup of the season! It's time to continue our NBA odds series with a Bulls-Celtics prediction and pick.
Chicago is (5-4) on the season which places them in 6th place in the Western Conference. They are coming off two-straight wins against the Brooklyn Nets and Charlotte Hornets. The Bulls won by 18 against the Hornets despite not a single player scoring more than 17 points. LaMelo Ball was out for that game and the Bulls certainly took advantage of his absence.
As for the Celtics, they lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers 114-113 last time out in overtime. They also lost to the Bulls 120-102 back on Oct. 24. After starting (3-0), the Celtics are just (4-3) on the season and sit in 5th place in the East. The conference is looking tougher and so every game should be meaningful when these top teams face off.
Here are the Bulls-Celtics NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Bulls-Celtics Odds
Chicago Bulls: +7 (-106)
Boston Celtics: -7 (-114)
Over: 223.5 (-108)
Under: 223.5 (-112)
Why The Bulls Could Cover The Spread
DeMar DeRozan is averaging 23.3 points per game as he is off to another solid start in a Bulls jersey. The 33-year-old is 22nd in the NBA in scoring and he would have been higher if he didn't have an off night against the Hornets. He shot just 2-11 from the floor so that kind of outing cannot repeat against the Celtics team. The same can be said about Zach Lavine. Since his return, LaVine is averaging 21.5 points per game but shot just 4-16 from the floor last time out. Those two combined for 44 points in the win against Boston last month.
Expect Nikola Vucevic to play well once again also. He finished with a monster game against the Celtics with 18 points and 23 rebounds. The Celtics are 25th in rebounds per game compared to the Bulls who are 17th. The Bulls are going to need to step up on the defensive side of the floor as Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are both scoring the ball with ease.
Andre Drummond is out for this game and Coby White is doubtful.
Why The Celtics Could Cover The Spread
The last two losses have come against the Cavaliers and before that the Bulls. They have seen this team before and will look to improve off of their mistakes from their past matchup. Boston scorched out to a huge 20-point lead in the first quarter but collapsed late to lose by 18. They must figure out how to finish games if they want to be as successful as they were last year.
Jayson Tatum is averaging 30.1 points along with eight rebounds per game. His 52.9% from the floor is third behind only Giannis Antetokounmpo and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander among the top 15 scorers in the NBA. Jaylen Brown is also scoring the ball very well this season averaging 26 per game. The fact that those two combine for over 50 a night shows how tough it is to stop them. If Malcolm Brogdon and Marcus Smart are also on their games, then there aren't many teams that can stop them.
Final Bulls-Celtics Prediction & Pick
Considering how the last matchup ended, the Bulls should be able to cover this spread. This matchup will be at TD Garden but the Bulls are capable of covering a 7-point spread.
Final Bulls-Celtics Prediction & Pick: Bulls +7 (-106)
