The Chicago Bulls (20-27) travel to face off against the Boston Celtics (32-15) on Wednesday, January 29th. This game will be played at TD Garden in Boston and televised on NBCS. The Bulls are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Celtics are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Celtics. Tip-off is set for 7:30 ET.
Bulls vs Celtics
The Bulls Are Coming Off A Win
With a 129-121 win over the Nuggets on Monday, the Bulls improved to 20-27 this season. Chicago, who were +9.5 point underdogs, not only won but also covered the spread. The game’s total points of 250 narrowly exceeded the O/U line of 247.5.
Chicago’s pivotal moment came with a 12-0 run, turning an 88-80 deficit into a 92-88 lead. They closed out the game strong, outscoring Denver 34-25 in the 4th quarter.
The Celtics Are Coming Off A Win
The Celtics fell to 32-15 after a 114-112 home loss to the Rockets on Monday. Boston, favored by six points, not only lost the game but also failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 226, surpassing the pre-game line of 221.
Boston battled back after a 14-0 run by Houston, trimming the deficit and taking an 89-85 lead into the 4th quarter. However, the Rockets outscored the Celtics 29-23 in the final period to secure the win.
Bulls Offense Breakdown
In their win over the Nuggets, the Bulls connected on 24 threes, shooting 45.3% from deep and 50% overall from the field. Zach LaVine led the way with 21 points, hitting 5 threes at a 50% rate, while Nikola Vucevic added 20 points and 10 rebounds, despite shooting just 22.2% from three.
Lonzo Ball contributed 18 points, knocking down 4 threes at 57.1%. LaVine scored 9 points in the 4th quarter, while Ball added 7, and Ayo Dosunmu chipped in 6 of his 17 points in the 3rd quarter.
Celtics Offense Breakdown
Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 28 points in their 114-112 loss to the Rockets, shooting 43.5% from the field and hitting 3 threes at 33.3%. Jayson Tatum added 19 points, 15 of which came in the 3rd quarter, despite shooting just 35.7%. Luke Kornet was highly efficient, scoring 18 points on 88.9% shooting.
Boston made 15 threes at a 38.5% clip, with an overall field goal percentage of 48.8%. Brown scored 10 of his points in the 1st quarter, while Payton Pritchard contributed 6 of his 15 points in the 4th.
Bulls Team Defense
Despite giving up 121 points to the Nuggets, the Bulls tightened up defensively in the 4th quarter, allowing just 25 points to secure the win. Chicago struggled early, giving up 35 points in the 1st quarter and 33 in the 2nd, but they improved in the 3rd, allowing 28 points.
Chicago’s defense did well in limiting Denver’s three-point shooting, holding them to just 6 made threes on 22% shooting. The Bulls also recorded 11 steals and 5 blocks in the game.
Celtics Team Defense
Despite a shaky start, the Bulls tightened up their defense in the 2nd half, giving up 28 points in the 3rd quarter and 25 in the 4th to secure the win. Overall, they allowed 121 points on 52% shooting from the field.
Chicago excelled at defending the three, holding the Nuggets to just 6 made threes on 22% shooting. The Bulls also recorded 11 steals and 5 blocks in the game.
Bulls vs Celtics Trends
- Through their last five road games, Chicago has an ATS record of just 1-4. However, their overall record was 1-4 while averaging 108 points per game.
- Although Boston has a straight up record of 2-1 in their last three home games, they have not held up as well vs. the spread going 1-2. The team averaged 111 points per game in these games.
- Spanning across their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Bulls have gone 5-4-1 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 5-5.
- As the betting favorite, the Celtics have an ATS mark of just 3-7 in their last ten games. Boston posted a straight up mark of 5-5 in these matchups.
Bulls vs Celtics Prediction
We’re calling a win for the Celtics, with a final score of 137-112, and we’re taking them to cover the spread. Our recommendation is to bet on the Celtics at -14.5.
Regarding the over/under, the current line is set at 232.5, and our model predicts the Bulls and Celtics to score a combined 249 points. We recommend betting on the over.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:January 29, 2025 Bulls, Celtics