BetAnySports Game Line: PICK

BetAnySportsTotal Line: 212

The Boston Celtics and the Chicago Bulls close out action in the NBA on Thursday night ahead of the league’s annual break for Sunday’s All-Star Game. Tip off at the United Center for this Eastern Conference clash is set for 8 p.m. (ET) and the game will be broadcast nationally on TNT.

Boston at Chicago Game Preview

Boston will first have to face Philadelphia at home on Wednesday night as a 9.5-point favorite with BetAnySports. It will be looking to improve upon a very impressive 10-1 straight-up run in its last 11 games. Betting on the Celtics has been a whole other story. While they have covered against the spread in their last three outings, this followed a costly 3-8 run ATS in their previous 11 games. The total has stayed UNDER in five of their last seven outings.

Isaiah Thomas led all scorers in Boston’s last game against Dallas with 29 points to help lead his team to a 111-98 victory as a two-point road favorite with BetAnySports. Thomas is second in the league in scoring this season with 29.8 points per game and the Celtics are ranked sixth in the NBA with an average of 108.3 points.

The Bulls knocked off Toronto on Tuesday night 105-94 as four-point home underdogs. This snapped a three-game losing streak both SU and ATS. Chicago is now 27-29 (SU and ATS) on the year with a 17-11 SU (13-14 ATS) record at home. The total stayed UNDER BetAnySports’ closing 209.5-point line against the Raptors and it has stayed UNDER in three of its last four games. The total has also stayed UNDER in three of the Bulls’ last five games at home.

Jimmy Butler and Doug McDermott off the bench helped pace Tuesday’s upset with a combined 39 points. Butler has been the Bulls’ leading scorer all season with 24.4 PPG as part of a team scoring average of 102.1 points that is ranked 23rd in the NBA. Chicago does move up the list quite a bit to seventh at the other end of the court with a points-allowed average of 102.8 PPG.

Boston at Chicago Free Game Prediction

Boston will have a quick turnaround on the road for Thursday night, but I still think there will be enough gas in the tank to get the SU win. When it comes to betting on this contest at BetAnySports, I would go with the UNDER on the total line in a defensive battle.