Boston has moved all the way up to the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, only a couple games behind the Cavs. The Bulls haven’t been as good lately but get this home and hope to end the first half of the season on a high note.
Even though they are on the road, the Celtics have played well enough of late that they could be the favorites in this matchup.
At 8 p.m. ET, tune into TNT for live television coverage of this NBA game on Thursday, February 16, 2017, at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
We'll have NBA odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Thursday schedule.
Odds Analysis
The Bulls are 26-29 straight up and 26-29 against the spread. They have played 26 home games thus far on the year and have covered in 12 of them. Chicago is 11-15 against the spread as the favorite and 15-13 against the spread as the underdog.
The Celtics are 36-19 straight up and 30-24-1 against the spread. They have played in 28 games away from home this season and have been stellar, covering in 19 of them. Boston is 20-17 against the spread as the favorite on the year and is likely to be giving a couple points in this one.
Player to Watch
Isaiah Thomas -- The Celtics’ diminutive point guard has always been a nice player, but now he has transformed into a borderline MVP candidate. Thomas has been the catalyst behind the team’s recent run to move up to the No. 2 seed in the East.
He is averaging 29.8 points per game, which is among the best in the NBA, as well as 6.3 assists and .84 steals per contest. Thomas is shooting 46.7 percent from the field and 38.2 percent from three-point range. Even though he stands at only 5-foot-9-inches tall, Thomas has nonetheless dominated this year.
He has scored 29 points or more in each of the past three games, including 34 in a road win over the Trail Blazers on February 9. Thomas is one of the most underpaid players in the NBA based on his breakout performance this year.
Key Stat
9. That’s the number of wins the Celtics have compiled in their last 10 outings. They were expected to be one of the main contenders to the Cavaliers’ throne in the East this season, and it has come to fruition of late.
Thomas leads the way, while Avery Bradley and Al Horford are a couple of other key pieces. Horford was a prime offseason addition and he has been the inside presence the Celtics needed.
Boston has gone 3-1 on its current road trip and would be overjoyed to wrap it up with another victory before the All-Star break.
Free NBA ATS Pick
The Bulls are currently in seventh place in the East, and if the playoffs were to begin now, these two teams would actually play each other in the first round.
Chicago is aiming to climb up the standings but it has an issue with three-point shooting and scoring overall on the offensive end. Jimmy Butler is a bona fide All-Star while Dwyane Wade is still playing well in his mid-30s, but the team doesn’t have enough overall talent to be considered a contender.
The Bulls have knocked off some elite teams this season on the strength of their defense and would love to defend their home court in this one. Even though Chicago is a worthy foe, the Celtics are playing so well right now and it behooves gamblers to go with the hot hand.
Take Thomas and the Celtics to score enough to pull out this road win.
NBA Odds: Celtics 107, Bulls 100
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