Bulls vs Celtics Picks and Predictions: Favorable Matchup for Overlooked Vooch

The Boston Celtics have led the way in the Eastern Conference for much of the season, but they’ll look to shake off a rocky start to 2023 as they battle the Chicago Bulls tonight.

The Celtics are 2-2 so far in January and barely scraped past the San Antonio Spurs 121-116 last time out. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are still tormenting defenses, but there were some major red flags last week after Boston gave up 150 points to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Led by a red-hot Zach LaVine, the surging Bulls have won three in a row to climb back into the play-in spots. LaVine poured in 36 points in Saturday’s 126-118 win over the Utah Jazz.

Get the lowdown on tonight’s matchup with our free NBA picks and predictions for Bulls vs Celtics below.

Bulls vs Celtics best odds

Bulls vs Celtics picks and predictions

With all the focus on Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, Nikola Vucevic tends to fade into the background on this Chicago Bulls team – until the conversation shifts to the trade that brought him to Chicago.

The Bulls took a big swing to land Vucevic – and so far the Orlando Magic have been the clear winners in that deal. In a league dominated by wing scorers, Vucevic hasn’t been the piece to elevate the Bulls into the title picture.

That narrative can get overblown at times, though. Sure, there aren’t many highlight reel moments, but Vucevic is still putting up solid numbers next to two ball-dominant guards and I expect another busy and productive night here.

He’s quietly made a strong start to 2023, posting four straight double-doubles with active performances in the paint at both ends. Vucevic had 15 points and 16 rebounds against the Jazz, a night after grabbing 18 boards to go with 19 points in the win over the 76ers.

The matchup with the Boston Celtics has been a good one for him too. Vucevic finished with 18 points and 23 rebounds in their first meeting of the year back in October, then added a 24-point, 12-rebound double-double in Boston in November. 

I like these NBA odds for Vucevic to stuff the stat sheet again tonight and add another double-double to his tally.

My best bet: Nikola Vucevic to record a double-double (-130 at FanDuel)

Bulls vs Celtics spread analysis

The Celtics are 8.5-point favorites tonight, with the oddsmakers factoring in Boston’s impressive 15-5 home record and Chicago’s somewhat troubling 8-12 mark on the road. But that line feels a little high when you consider the Bulls’ solid recent form, including wins over the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers, and their two lights-out wing scorers who can keep the score close.

Don’t underestimate the potential absence of Marcus Smart (knee) tonight either – not only as a terrific on-ball defender to pester DeRozan and LaVine but also as an unselfish connector on offense. Boston’s assist rate tends to drop when Smart is on the bench, even though Malcolm Brogdon and Derrick White can absorb a lot of the workload.

Chicago has some encouraging ATS numbers in its favor heading into tonight’s clash. The Bulls are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games playing on one day’s rest and 3-0-1 ATS after a win. Meanwhile, the Celtics have hit an ATS wall, only covering the spread in one of their last five games.

Another reason for taking the points with the visitors? Chicago is 7-1 ATS in the teams’ last eight meetings.

Bulls vs Celtics Over/Under analysis

These are two free-scoring offenses – and the Bulls are coming off some of their best wins of the year. They’ve scored more than 120 points in all four games so far this month, and LaVine has scored 77 points over his last two games.

And yet, with the line pushed high to account for all the shot-makers on show, the numbers point towards the Under. That’s hit in seven of Chicago’s last eight games against teams with a winning record. The Under has also cashed in for Boston’s last four matchups against teams with a losing record – and in seven of the last 10 meetings between these teams.

Defensive stoppers Smart and Alex Caruso are both listed on the injury report, and that makes the Over a little more appealing. The teams combined for 242 points in their November clash (a 123-119 Celtics win) but, in terms of the total, this one could end up closer to their October battle that Chicago won 120-102.

Bulls vs Celtics betting trend to know

Lately, Boston has struggled to cover large spreads against weaker opponents. The Celtics are 1-5-1 ATS in their last six games against teams with a losing record. Find more NBA betting trends for Bulls vs. Celtics.

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Bulls vs Celtics key injuries

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