Boston Celtics vs Chicago Bulls Betting Pick & Prediction 12/21/24
At 8:00 ET, the 2nd ranked Celtics (-591) will travel to Chicago to take on the Bulls (+436). Boston is favored by 11.5 points and the over/under line is 243.5.
Chicago is currently 9th in the Eastern Conference and has won 3 straight games. The Celtics are 21-6 and sit atop the Atlantic Division.
BOSTON CELTICS VS CHICAGO BULLS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Chicago Bulls +11.5
This game will be played at United Center at 8:00 ET on Saturday, December 21st.
WHY BET THE CHICAGO BULLS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 142-140 in favor of the Celtics.
- Our projections have Jayson Tatum finishing with 27 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists.
- From the field, we have the Celtics finishing with a field goal percentage of 47.2% and knocking down 20 threes.
Does Boston Have A Chance at United Center?
The Celtics fell to 21-6 on the season after a 117-108 loss to the Bulls on Thursday. Boston, who were -14.5 point favorites at home, failed to cover the spread. The game’s total of 225 points was well under the 240.5-point line.
Boston led 86-82 going into the 4th quarter, but the Bulls went on a decisive 12-0 run after the score was tied at 90-90, taking a 102-90 lead and closing out the game strong, outscoring the Celtics 35-22 in the final period.
In their 117-108 loss to the Bulls, the Celtics shot just 39.2% from the field and 25% from beyond the arc, hitting 14 threes. Jayson Tatum led the way with 31 points and 10 rebounds, connecting on 4 threes at 36.4% efficiency.
Kristaps Porzingis added 20 points, while Jaylen Brown contributed 19, scoring 11 in the 4th quarter. Tatum also had 12 points in both the 1st and 3rd quarters.
The Celtics held the Bulls to 21 points in the 1st quarter but struggled defensively in the 2nd and 4th, giving up 33 and 35 points, respectively, in a 117-108 loss. Boston allowed Chicago to shoot 44% from the field.
Boston allowed 19 three-pointers on 36% shooting and sent the Bulls to the line 16 times, where they hit 14 free throws. The Celtics finished with 34 defensive rebounds, giving up 11 offensive boards, and recorded 6 steals and 8 blocks.
Will Chicago Pull Through as the Underdog Home Team?
The Bulls improved to 13-15 on the season with a 117-108 win over the Celtics on Thursday. Chicago, who were +9 point underdogs, not only won but covered the spread. The total points for the game were 225, falling short of the 240.5 O/U line.
Chicago went on a decisive 12-0 run in the 4th quarter, breaking a 90-90 tie and taking a 102-90 lead. They outscored Boston 35-22 in the final period to seal the win.
Zach LaVine led the Bulls to a win over the Celtics with 36 points, hitting 6 threes at a 54.5% rate. He also added 6 rebounds and 4 assists, shooting 57.9% from the field. Ayo Dosunmu contributed 17 points and 8 rebounds, making 3 threes at 60% efficiency.
The Bulls made 19 threes, shooting 36.5% from beyond the arc and 44.7% overall. LaVine scored 13 points in the 2nd quarter and 9 in the 4th, while Dosunmu also added 9 points in the final period.
Defensively, the Bulls gave up 108 points but held the Celtics to just 22 points in the 4th quarter, helping secure the win. Chicago allowed 32 points in the 2nd quarter but limited Boston to 25 points in the 1st. Overall, the Bulls held the Celtics to 39% shooting.
From beyond the arc, the Bulls allowed 14 threes but held Boston to 25% shooting from deep. The Celtics also went 18/21 from the free-throw line. Chicago recorded 45 defensive rebounds, gave up 11 offensive boards, and finished with 2 steals and 2 blocks.