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Andrew Rogers
Celtics vs. Bulls Prediction: NBA Odds, Point Spread
A one-sided victory over Orlando provided the kind of momentum the Boston Celtics need against their latest threat: a Chicago Bulls team in full-on win-now mode. The age-old NBA rivalry continues Friday night. The Celtics are looking to atone for a loss to the Bulls in mid-April as they aim to move up the Eastern Conference standings. The Bulls come in as the home underdogs as they look to keep their flickering playoff hopes alive.
NBA Point Spread and Betting Analysis
Boston comes into Friday’s rematch of their 102-96 April loss to the visiting Bulls as a four-point favourite on the NBA odds. The betting public is all over the Celtics, with nearly three-quarters of Sports Interaction respondents siding with them. The Celtics have struggled against the spread in recent games, carrying a 2-5 ATS mark into Friday’s visit to United Center. But the Bulls haven’t been any better, having gone just 1-4 ATS in their previous five games.
We have a smaller consensus on the total for Friday’s game, which is set at 222.5. About 60 per cent of Sports Interaction customers are siding with the O222.5, which is much higher than the 202 total points these teams combined to score in their previous meeting. They’re also at opposite ends of the spectrum from a total trends standpoint. The Celtics have strung together six straight Over results, while the Bulls having converted the Under in four of their last five.
Boston Celtics
With Jaylen Brown announced to be out against the Bulls, the bulk of the scoring burden will once again fall on Jayson Tatum, who is enjoying a career-best season. The fourth-year forward comes in averaging 26.5 points, 7.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game, all career bests. Tatum has posted a sizzling 28.3 ppg average since the All-Star break. He had a triple-double with 14 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists in the April loss to the Bulls.
Chicago Bulls
The Bulls acquired centre Nikola Vucevic with the hope that he would provide the kind of secondary scoring that would propel Chicago into the postseason. And while the playoff quest is nearly over, you can’t pin that on Vucevic, who has done everything that the Bulls hoped he would. Vucevic enters Friday’s encounter having averaged 22.6 points, 11.0 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 21 games with Chicago, while his 23.79 Player Efficiency rating leads the team.
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