Celtics vs. Bulls Pick & Predictions 4/6/22

Boston Celtics (49-30 SU, 40-36-3 ATS) vs. Chicago Bulls (45-34 SU, 41-37-1 ATS)
When: Wednesday April 06 2022, 08:00 PM (ET)
Where: United Center, Chicago, Illinois
TV: NBCSB

Point Spread: BOS -6.5/CHI +6.5 (Opened BOS -7.5 at BAS)
Total: 224 (Opened at 224.5)
Money Line: Boston -255/Chicago 208
Power Rating: BOS -7

Probable Starting Lineups

Boston Celtics PG Marcus Smart, SG Jaylen Brown P, SF Jayson Tatum P, PF Al Horford P, C Daniel Theis
Chicago Bulls PG Alex Caruso, SG Ayo Dosunmu, SF Zach LaVine Q, PF DeMar DeRozan, C Nikola Vucevic

Key Injuries

Boston Celtics Jaylen Brown: Knee (PROBABLE) Al Horford: Back (PROBABLE) Juwan Morgan: Illness (OUT) Nik Stauskas: Ankle (OUT) Jayson Tatum: Knee (PROBABLE) Robert Williams III: Knee (OUT)

Chicago Bulls Matt Thomas: Leg (QUESTIONABLE) Zach LaVine: Knee (QUESTIONABLE) Lonzo Ball: Knee (OUT)

The Chicago Bulls host the Boston Celtics in an Eastern-Conference matchup. Tip-off is set for 08:00 PM ET at the United Center.

Recent Form

The Boston Celtics come into this game with an overall record of 49-30, placing them 4th in the Eastern Conference. So far, Boston is above .500 on the road, holding a record of 21-17. Over their last five games, the Celtics have played well, picking up 3 wins. During this stretch, Boston is averaging 123.0 points per game, 12.0 points more than their season average of 111.2. This uptick in offensive play has come while playing a group of opponents who are collectively giving up 110.0 points per contest. Even though Boston has been picking up wins, their opponents have had no trouble scoring the ball, averaging 112.0 points per game, up from the Celtics’ usual rate of 104.3. In the Boston Celtics’ most recent game, Boston took down Washington by a score of 144-102

The Chicago Bulls come into this game with an overall record of 45-34, placing them 6th in the Eastern Conference. So far, Chicago is above .500 at home, holding a record of 27-12. Over the Bulls’ last five games, they have picked up just 2 wins. In this stretch, Chicago’s offense is scoring right in line with their season average, putting up 112.0 points per game. Combined, the Bulls’ last five opponents are giving up 109.0 points per contest. A key reason for the Bulls’ recent struggles is a defensive unit giving up 117.0 points over their last five contests. This figure is up from their season average of 111.6. In the Chicago Bulls’ most recent game, the team fell to Milwaukee by a score of 127-106.

Individual Player Analysis

As Boston travels to take on the Chicago Bulls, the Celtics’ leading scorer is Jayson Tatum. Through 74 games, Tatum is averaging 27 points. On the season, he has surpassed his season average in 41.0% of his games. As Tatum gets set to take on the Bulls, he could be in line for a big game as Chicago is allowing their opponent’s top scorer to surpass their season average in 59.38% of their games. This figure places them 29th among NBA defenses. On the other side, DeMar DeRozan leads the Bulls in scoring, averaging 28 points across his 73 games. Throughout the season, DeRozan has outscored his season average in 44.0% of his outings. However, if he hopes to add to this total, DeRozan will need to do so against a Celtics defense that has been tough on their opponent’s top scorers. So far, leading scores have surpassed their season average at a rate of just 45.16%. This figure is good for a rank of 8th in the league.

Matchup Analysis

Heading into this matchup, the Boston Celtics are the more efficient team on both ends of the court. This scenario has taken place in 32 of Boston’s 38 games, leading to a winning percentage of 62%. So far, the Chicago Bulls have played 46 games as the inferior offensive and defensive unit. In these instances, they have lost 46 times, by an average margin of -14.0 points.

The Historicals

Heading into today’s matchup, the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls have met up for 2 games. In their last meeting, Boston picked up a 114-112 win.

How the Public is Betting the Celtics vs Bulls

67% are betting the Celtics against the spread.
52% are wagering on the game to go over the posted total of 224.0

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Betting Trends Worth Noting

• Celtics are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games following a straight up win.
• Celtics are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
• Bulls are 17-35 ATS in their last 52 games as an underdog.
• Bulls are 23-48 ATS in their last 71 games as a home underdog.

Joe’s Pick to Cover the Spread

Even though the Chicago Bulls will benefit from playing at home, Boston comes into the game as the more rested unit, not having played since their beat down of the Wizards on Sunday. On the other side, the Bulls are coming off a disappointing performance against Milwaukee and are likely to once again be without Zach Lavine. With Boston being favored by 6.5, look for the Celtics to run away with an easy win as the Bull continue to limp their way into the playoffs.