Celtics vs Bulls Odds
The Chicago Bulls have been one of the best teams in the NBA following the All-Star break, and the Boston Celtics—a team that once looked like a contender for home-court advantage in a historically bad Eastern Conference—are now 12th out East.[ad-4468020]
NBA Free Plays
Chicago (40-32) @ Boston (23-49)
Monday, March 31 7:00 PM ET United Center
Spread: Chicago -10
Over/Under: 183
Moneyline: Boston +450 / Chicago -600
[dfads params=’groups=63740&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]
ATS Matchup Insight | CappersPicks Insider Preview
These two are set to face off Monday, March 31 in what could end up being a one-sided battle of franchises headed in different directions.
Chicago
Following the loss of Derrick Rose for the season, the Chicago Bulls have become the worst offensive team in the NBA. Seventy-two games into the year, the team is dead last in scoring at 92.8 points per game, but while that scenario would doom most rosters, this is a defensive group that continues winning without a true offensive leader.
CLICK GRAB OUR BEST Expert Hoops Picks for 2014 GAMBLING season!
Behind head coach Tom Thibodeau and center Joakim Noah, the Bulls are the No. 2 defensive team in the NBA in terms of points per game allowed.
Chicago is giving up just 91.9 points per contest, and only the Eastern Conference-leading Indiana Pacers boast a better number.
This matchup should be a battle of defense versus defense. The Celtics are struggling almost as much as the Bulls on offense, and only one player is averaging more than 14.5 points per game. That player is Jeff Green (16.8 PPG), so shutting down the forward becomes priority No. 1 for Chicago.
[ad-6571516]
Boston
Chicago hasn’t lost two games in a row in more than a month, but the Boston Celtics are hoping to change that in this one.
Luckily for Boston, the Bulls are experiencing an offensive lull—that’s saying something considering how bad they’ve been all year. Chicago is scoring just 83.3 point per game in their last four (2-2), and Boston has the opportunity to take advantage in a low-scoring contest.
When it comes to Jeff Green, Boston’s leading scorer, the forward has struggled recently against Chicago. The Bulls have held him to 6.2 points and 27.9 percent shooting in their last five outings, and it’s clear that when Green struggles to score, so do the Celtics.
This game is going to come down to how well Boston can defend Chicago. If players such as Mike Dunleavy Jr., Kirk Hinrich and Noah are allowed to score easily, it will take away from the low-scoring advantage Boston may have.
The Celtics need to lock down defensively, and if they don’t it could be a tough night when it’s all said and done.
Prediction: Chicago 93 – Boston 83
