Boston is at home and is within striking distance of the Cavaliers for the top seed. Another victory could inch them closer and make this a really interesting race down the stretch. The Celtics will definitely be the favorites as they are the superior team and have the home court advantage.
Chicago has been poor on the road this season but really needs to pick up some wins down the stretch as it is in the middle of a logjam of teams fighting for the playoffs.
This war on the floor will go down Sunday, March 12, 2017, at 3:30 p.m. ET at the TD Garden Center in Boston, Massachusetts. The game will be televised live on ABC.
We'll have NBA odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Sunday schedule.
Odds Analysis
The Celtics are 41-24 straight up and 34-30-1 against the spread. They have played in 30 home games on the season but have not performed very well, covering only 12 of them. Boston is 24-21 against the spread as the favorite this season.
The Bulls are 31-33 straight up and 31-33 against the spread. Chicago has played on the road in 32 games this season and has covered in 15 of them. The Bulls are 19-15 against the spread as the underdog on the season.
Injury Report
Dwyane Wade -- The 12-time NBA All-Star has been nursing a thigh injury and has already missed two recent matchups against the Magic and the Pistons this week. It’s unclear at this point whether Wade will be ready to go against the Celtics on Saturday.
The Bulls lost both previous matchups this week without Wade. The 98-91 loss to the struggling Magic is particularly telling as Orlando has only won 24 games this season.
Wade has been dealt his fair share of injuries this season. He also missed four games last month with a wrist injury. The Bulls don’t have a lot of scoring options so Wade’s presence is definitely something to watch.
Key Stat
86. That’s how many points the Celtics held the Warriors to earlier this week. It was an impressive victory for Boston, especially considering Golden State ranks No. 1 in the league in scoring, averaging 117 points per game.
The Warriors were without superstar Kevin Durant in the loss to the Celtics, but 99-86 final score marked a season low for Golden State. Wednesday's victory was a welcomed one for Boston, which was riding a two-game losing streak coming into the matchup.
The Celtics defense is currently ranked No. 7 in the NBA for points against, holding teams to 107 points per game on average. Boston started the season with high expectations on defense has showed in this matchup it has the ability to fulfill them in big games.
Free NBA ATS Pick
The Bulls have won two of the three matchups between these teams this season, but the Celtics figure to pull even in the season series here. The home court advantage is important and Boston knows it is within range of catching the Cavaliers.
Chicago would love to pull the upset to stay in the playoffs but it’s a tough task. Jimmy Butler will need to have a big game regardless, and even moreso if Wade doesn’t play.
The Celtics will have the best player on the court in Isaiah Thomas, and he should be able to put together a big game to lift Boston to the victory. The Celtics should also be counted on for the cover as long as the spread isn’t super high.
NBA Odds: Celtics 110, Bulls 98
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