Chicago Bulls vs Boston Celtics Betting Pick & Prediction 12/19/24

At 7:30 ET, the Bulls (+695) will be in Boston to take on the Celtics (-1090) in an Eastern Conference matchup. The over/under line is set at 242.5.

Chicago (12-15) is currently on a two-game win streak and is 9th in the East. Boston (21-5) is also on a two-game win streak and is 2nd in the East. The Celtics are favored by 14.5 points.

CHICAGO BULLS VS BOSTON CELTICS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Chicago Bulls +14.5

This game will be played at TD Garden at 7:30 ET on Thursday, December 19th.

WHY BET THE CHICAGO BULLS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 142-141 in favor of the Celtics.
• Our projections have Jayson Tatum finishing with 26 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists.
• From the field, we have the Celtics finishing with a field goal percentage of 47.7% and knocking down 20 threes.

Can Chicago Grab a Win on the Road?

The Bulls moved to 12-15 on the season after a narrow 122-121 win over the Raptors on Monday. Chicago, who were favored by 1 point, pushed the spread with the win. The game’s total of 243 points edged past the O/U line of 239.5.

Chicago jumped out to an early lead, taking a 33-25 advantage after the 1st quarter. After a 2nd quarter where Toronto outscored them 25-20, the Bulls responded with a big 3rd quarter, putting up 42 points to the Raptors’ 34. Chicago entered the 4th quarter with a 95-84 lead but had to hold off a late Raptors rally, as Toronto outscored them 37-27 in the final period.

Nikola Vucevic led the Bulls with 24 points and 5 rebounds, shooting 58.8% from the field and hitting 2 threes at 50% in their 122-121 win over the Raptors. Coby White added 19 points, despite shooting 33.3%, and made 3 threes at 42.9%.

The Bulls connected on 14 threes, shooting 35% from beyond the arc, and finished with a 46.2% overall field goal percentage. Talen Horton-Tucker contributed 15 points, including 7 in the 1st quarter, while Vucevic and White each scored 7 points in the 1st and 3rd quarters.

The Bulls’ defense held strong in the 1st and 2nd quarters, allowing just 25 points in each. However, they struggled in the 3rd and 4th, giving up 34 and 37 points, respectively, but managed to hold on for the win.

Chicago limited the Raptors to 9 threes on 34% shooting from deep. They also recorded 12 steals and 8 blocks in the game.

Is A Home Victory Likely for the Favored Celtics?

Boston improved to 21-5 this season with a 112-98 win over the Wizards on Sunday. The Celtics were favored by 17.5 points but didn’t cover the spread, and the total points of 210 fell short of the 233.5 O/U line.

A key moment came when Boston went on a 15-0 run, extending the score from 26-23 to 38-26. They led 91-72 going into the 4th quarter, but the Wizards outscored them 26-21 in the final period.

Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 28 points and 12 rebounds in their win over the Wizards, adding 11 points in the 1st quarter and another 9 in the 4th. Boston’s offense struggled from the field, shooting just 43%, but they connected on 18 threes at a 39.1% clip.

Payton Pritchard and Derrick White each contributed 15 points, with Pritchard hitting 5 threes at 50% efficiency. White added 5 points in the 4th quarter, while Pritchard scored 6 in both the 2nd and 3rd quarters.

The Celtics put together a strong defensive performance, holding the Wizards to 98 points on 40% shooting. Boston’s best defensive quarter came in the 3rd, where they allowed just 20 points.

Boston did a good job defending the three, with Washington hitting 13 threes on 32% shooting. The Celtics also sent the Wizards to the line just 8 times, where they made 5 free throws.