Bulls vs Celtics Picks and Prediction – 12/20/2024

TD Garden will play host to a Thursday night NBA clash between the Chicago Bulls and the Boston Celtics. For other NBA action see our NBA Predictions. The Bulls (12-15) are two games above .500 on the road and are tied with Indiana for eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings. On Monday, Chicago held off a Toronto fourth-quarter rally to escape with a 122-121 road victory. 

Veteran C Nikola Vucevic led seven Chicago players in double figures with 24 points (10-17 FG) and five rebounds. Coby White chipped in 19 points (5-15 FG) and five assists. Ayo Dosunmu added 12 points and five rebounds for the Bulls, who connected on 14-for-40 from the three-point line. 

The Boston Celtics have won 11 of their first 14 home games and trail Cleveland by 1.5 games for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics (21-5) rank second in the league in offensive efficiency and are averaging a shade below 120 points per game. On Sunday, Boston raced out to an 11-point lead after one quarter and cruised to a 112-98 road victory against lowly Washington. 

All-Star F Jayson Tatum tallied a game-high 28 points on 12-for-26 shooting and grabbed 12 rebounds. Payton Pritchard knocked down 5-for-10 from long distance and finished with 15 points off the bench. Derrick White added 15 points, five assists, and five steals for the Celtics.

Boston C Kristaps Porzingis exited Sunday’s victory with a heel injury and is listed as day-to-day. The Bulls are playing at the second fastest tempo in the league and the Celtics feature a prolific three-point shooting attack. Records might be broken in this one. Take the over. Final Score Prediction, Boston Celtics win 135-121.