The Celtics are hosting the Bulls on Monday. On DraftKings Sportsbook, Boston is favored by 11.5 points and this game carries a total of 236.5 points.
Below, I break down the matchup and provide a pick for the game.
Celtics vs. Bulls preview, prediction
Everyone wanted to write off the Celtics this season with Jayson Tatum (Achilles) sidelined, but Jaylen Brown and this group had different plans. Boston sits third in the Eastern Conference at 22-12 and the team impressively ranks third in net rating for the entire NBA, trailing only the Thunder and Rockets.
Brown is a real MVP candidate, averaging a career-high 30.1 PPG while shooting 51% from the field and he is coming off one of the best performances of his career. The Celtics went into Los Angeles on Saturday to face a Clippers team that had won six straight games and Brown dropped a career-high 50 points while leading Boston to a dominant 146-115 win. Los Angeles had won its previous six all by at least 13 points and the team easily led the league in net rating during this win streak, so Brown and the Celtics blowing the Clippers out of their own gym was extremely impressive to say the least.
In addition to Brown’s heroics this season, Derrick White has remained one of the most impactful two-way players in the league, averaging 18.7 points, 1.5 blocks and 1.4 steals per game, all of which are career-highs. Furthermore, Payton Pritchard and Neemias Queta have made major strides and are playing the best basketball of their careers.
This Celtics team is well-disciplined and coached, and the rest of the NBA is fearing the possibility of Tatum returning this season, because if the superstar rejoins this ascending Boston club, the Celtics without a doubt will be one of the scariest teams in the league.
While not to the same degree as the Celtics, the Bulls have been playing well as of late. The team is 17-18 and ranks 23rd in net rating this season, but Chicago has won seven of its last 10. The problem is, Josh Giddey (hamstring), who is leading the Bulls with 19.2 points and 9.0 assists per game this season, is out tonight. Chicago is 2-3 with the guard out this season and with Giddey off the floor, the Bulls’ net rating drops 5.6 points to -6.9.
Giddey has been impactful on both ends of the floor this season and with him missing, Chicago will be led by Nikola Vucevic, Coby White and Matas Buzelis. Facing the surging Celtics on their home floor, where they are 10-5 this season, the Giddey-less Bulls struggling tonight feels inevitable.
Celtics vs. Bulls pick, best bet
Coming off the impressive blowout win over the Clippers, the Celtics should secure another easy victory tonight vs. the Bulls. Each of Boston’s last four wins have been by double-digits and the Celtics are a strong bet to cover this 11.5-point spread.
This season, Boston is 20-14-0 ATS, which is the third-best record in the league.
