NBA
Boston Celtics vs Chicago Bulls: Predictions, Odds and Tips
Defending National Basketball Association (NBA) champions the Boston Celtics will host the Chicago Bulls at TD Garden on December 19. It will be a rematch of November’s NBA Cup clash at United Center. Then, the Celtics triumphed 138-129. This is a clash for the ages as the Celtics and the Bulls have played some thrilling games against each other over the years. When the Celtics were on their way out as the NBA’s dominant team in the late 1980s and a young Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls were on their way to the top, the rivalry peaked. The Celtics have been better than the Bulls in recent times but both remain popular NBA teams.
Jayson Tatum is tripled teamed by Nikola Vucevic, Ayo Dosunmu and Alex Caruso//Getty Images
NBA betting enthusiasts will be monitoring this fixture with some interest and our preview contains the latest odds and tips. We offer our predictions for how the clash between the Celtics and Bulls will play out.
Boston Celtics vs Chicago Bulls match details
19 December: 7:30 p.m. local (7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT)
Tip-off Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
Officials: TBA
Last meeting: Chicago Bulls 129-138 Boston Celtics (November 29, 2024, NBA Cup)
Odds and Betting Tips
Some of the greatest NBA players of all-time have featured for the Chicago Bulls and Boston Celtics. This rivalry has been defined by players such as Larry Bird for the Celtics and Michael Jordan for the Bulls. The Celtics still have some of the top players in the league on their roster, such as Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.
Pre-game Odds and Win Probability: A Tight Matchup
Boston Celtics: 29/20 (2.45) – 40.8%
Chicago Bulls: 29/20 (2.45) – 40.8%
*Forecast Odds
Betting Tips
The Celtics are the likely winners of this game and there are some value bets available at top basketball sportsbooks on the hosts and their in-form players.
Suggested Bets
Boston Celtics -7.5 Handicap: The Celtics have won five games in a row against the Bulls by eight or more points. (19/20 forecast odds)
Jayson Tatum 27.5+ Points: Tatum scored 35 points the last time the Bulls met the Celtics and is averaging 28.4 points per game this season at the time of writing. (10/11 forecast odds)
Nikola Vucevic 10+ Rebounds: Montenegrin center Vucevic is averaging 10 rebounds per game for the Bulls this season at the time of writing. He has had 10 or more in his last four games including 11 against the Celtics.
Head-to-Head Record
The Celtics have beaten the Bulls five times in a row and continue to dominate this rivalry.
Last Five Meetings:
2024/11/29: Bulls 129-138 Celtics
2024/03/23: Bulls 113-124 Celtics
2024/02/22: Bulls 112-129 Celtics
2023/11/28: Celtics 124-97 Bulls
2023/01/09: Celtics 107-99 Bulls
In 1986, Michael Jordan scored 63 points against the Celtics but his Chicago Bulls still lost.
Boston Celtics: Current Form - WWLWW
The Celtics won the NBA Championship in style last season and look set to be among the main contenders this season again.
Jayson Tatum is displaying the form that saw the forward lead the Celtics to the title last season. He was a role player for Team USA at the Olympics under Steve Kerr and was controversially denied a starring role in the team. However, Tatum has responded in the best possible way, proving himself by playing for the team both then and now.
Shooting guard/small forward Jaylen Brown was last season’s NBA finals MVP in the 4-1 win over the Dallas Mavericks. He continues to play a key role for the Celtics along with backcourt duo Derrick White and Payton Pritchard.
The Celtics’ only loss in their last five games was against the Cleveland Cavaliers, who look set to challenge them for the Eastern Conference title.
Elsewhere, they have recorded wins against the Los Angeles Clippers, Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat and Detroit Pistons
Jaylen Brown high-fives Jayson Tatum//Getty Images
Key Players to Watch
- Jayson Tatum: Tatum is not only one of the most effective scorers in the league but also a great team player. Comfortable as a small forward or a power forward, Tatum is precisely the sort of leader a team needs on their team to win championships.
- Jaylen Brown: When Brown first entered the NBA, it has widely reported that he was viewed by some within front offices as “too smart” for the league. This likely referred to his intelligence off the court, but it is evident on it too. Brown is a reliable scorer and does lots of the dirty work in transitions. He is essential on fast breaks.
- Payton Pritchard: The Celtics are loaded with quality scorers and Pritchard’s form this season means they have another. Aged 26, this is a transition year for him. Previously a role player, he is now a shooter anybody would want on their team.
Boston Celtics Team News
Jayson Tatum sat out the win over the Detroit Pistons with a knee issue, but it does not appear to be a serious injury. Jrue Holiday has also been suffering knee issues. He is a key player for the Celtics, but his situation is more complicated than Tatum’s because he is suffering from repeated injury issues. Therefore, while there is time to go before this game, there is no reason to believe Tatum will miss it at this point, but Holiday’s situation is unclear.
Chicago Bulls: Current Form - LWLLW
The Chicago Bulls have been in inconsistent form. They recovered from their defeat to the Celtics with a dominant 128-102 win over the Brooklyn Nets. Nikola Vucevic, Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis each hit 20+ points. Giddey was the star with a triple double – 20 points, 13 rebounds. Vucevic got a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Zach LaVine scored 18 points.
However, in their last five games, the Bulls have suffered defats to the Orlando Magic and Memphis Grizzlies as well as the Celtics. They beat the Washington Wizards 127-108 and the Nets game was another reminder of how strong they can be on their day. However, the Bulls are still a work in progress. The Celtics, by contrast, are a championship team which took several years, near misses and blips along the way to build.
Key Players to Watch
- Josh Giddey: The Australian combo guard is one of the most talented players in the NBA. Drafted sixth overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2021, he left this year and joined the Bulls. The triple double in the win over the Nets suggested that Giddey is finding his feet.
- Nikola Vucevic: Averaging 10 rebounds per game, Vucevic will be vital for the Bulls. The Celtics struggled to contain him the last time the teams played and he scored 32 points in addition to his 11 rebounds. If his teammates are on song, another performance like that from Vucevic could be the difference between victory and defeat.
- Zach LaVine: The Bulls are a franchise currently rebuilding but LaVine is a piece of the puzzle that has been there for some time. The small forward, also comfortable at shooting guard, was an NBA All-Star in 2021 and 2022. He is still getting plenty of minutes and contributing well to the Bulls.
Chicago Bulls Team News
Giddey recently sprained his right ankle but is also likely to be 100% healthy well in time for the Celtics game. Lonzo Ball, Coby White and Patrick Williams have been out injured and their situations are less simple to predict.
Ball in particular has been an ongoing headache for the Bulls. The second pick of the 2017 NBA Draft (selected by the Los Angeles Lakers) joined the Bulls in 2021. They had gambled on him despite his injury problems but after playing 35 games in 2021-22, he missed over two seasons with injury. He made his return this season but is now out injured again.
Predicted Line-Ups
Boston Celtics predicted Starting Lineup
- PG: Payton Pritchard
- SG: Derrick White
- SF: Jaylen Brown
- PF: Jayson Tatum
- C: Kristaps Porziņģis
Chicago Bulls predicted starting lineup:
- PG: Josh Giddey
- SG: Ayo Dosunmu
- SF: Zach LaVine
- PF: Matas Buzelis
- C: Nikola Vucevic
Value Bets
Matas Buzelis 14.5+ points: Buzelis is only 20 years old and has limited game time for the Chicago Bulls. However, with his 20 points against the Nets, he showed what he is capable of. He is now likely to be given time to repeat that performance. (10/13 forecast odds)
Josh Giddey 19.5+ points: Giddey needed time to settle at the Chicago Bulls but he showed that he is now back to his best. When in form, there are few who can stop him.
Jayson Tatum 30+ points & 10+ rebounds: Tatum is almost averaging a 30-10 double-double in the NBA this season. The last time the Celtics played the Bulls, he scored 35 points and also collected 14 rebounds.
Top Scorers/players for both teams
Boston Celtics: Highlighting his incredible commitment, Jayson Tatum is the Celtics’ 2024-25 leader for points per game (28.4), rebounds per game (8.6), assists per game (5.6) and steals per game (1.3).
Chicago Bulls: Zach LaVine is the Bulls’ top scorer this season with 21.8 points per game. Vucevic is their best rebounder and one of the best in the league with 10 per game.
Prediction: Boston Celtics to Win
Both teams have talented players, but the Celtics have unparalleled roster depth. This is only compounded by the fact that their star players, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, are comfortable in multiple positions. Tatum was in fine form the last time he played the Bulls. The Celtics are better prepared for this fixture as a team even though the Bulls have had standout performances from breakout stars Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis recently.
Leonard Solms is a freelance journalist who has been covering local and international sport from South Africa since 2015. Best known for his work for ESPN, he has also written for Al Jazeera, The Continent, New Frame, Planet Rugby and GiveMeSport among several other publications.