Bulls host Celtics in basketball action

NBA betting interest will be piqued on Thursday when the Celtics of Boston hit the hard court against the Bulls of Chicago.

The Celtics will look to vanquish their hosts on Thursday, as they are 15-16 ATS versus the spread this season, while the Bulls are 11-19 ATS. Boston is 12-19 against the total, while Chicago is 12-18 versus the number. (Note: follow us on Twitter for line updates and injuries news).

View Boston Celtics vs Chicago Bulls Odds and Stats.

Oddsmakers at Sportsbook opened the Bulls as -4.5-point Favorite in this matchup earlier today, while the OVER/UNDER line was sitting around 182.5 earlier at Sportsbook.

This game pits the Bulls, currently No. 25 in the Odds Shark NBA Power Rankings, against the Celtics, who rate No. 20 in the most recent survey. Meanwhile, math and computer handicapping models run on this game predict a 86-85 victory for the Bulls.



In their last action, Boston was a 92-91 loser at home against the Hawks. They failed to cover the 3-point spread as favorites, while the combined score (183) was profitable news for UNDER bettors. Kelly Olynyk scored 21 points in a failed effort to lead the Celtics to victory (they lost 92-91 to Atlanta at TD Garden on Tuesday).

Last time out for Chicago, they were an 85-79 loser as they battled the Raptors at home. The Bulls failed to cover in the match as a 1-point favorite, while 164 combined points moved the game UNDER for totals bettors. Chicago suffered an 85-79 loss against Toronto on Tuesday, getting 16 points from Luol Deng in a losing effort at United Center.

How They Match Up:
In rebounding, the battle of the boards features Chicago's No. 8-rated squad against Boston's No. 25-rated roster. When it comes to long-range shooting, Chicago rates No. 28 in the league with 5.37 per game, while their foes tonight rank No. 25 with 6.55 per outing.

Next up:
Boston home to Charlotte, Friday, January 3rd
Chicago home to Atlanta, Saturday, January 4th