Boston Celtics at Chicago Bulls, United Center, Chicago, IL
Thursday, April 7, 2011, 8:00 pm Eastern, TV: TNT
Opening Line: Bulls -4.5
Current Line: Bulls -4.5
Opening Total: 179
Current Total: 179
Money Line: Bulls -200 / Celtics +170
With five games remaining in the regular season, the Chicago Bulls (57-20) and Boston Celtics (54-23) meet for what might or might not be the final time on Thursday in a key Eastern Conference showdown that has major playoff seeding implications. The Bulls (-4.5) could eventually face the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals if they each advance through the first two rounds of the postseason after finishing with the top two seeds as expected.
Miami helped both teams out on Wednesday with a 90-85 home loss to Milwaukee while playing without injured guard Dwyane Wade, as the Heat fell 3.5 games behind the top spot with four games left. Chicago and Boston have already beaten Miami three times this season to win the season series, preventing the Heat from winning any tiebreaker scenarios.
The Celtics visit Miami on Sunday and could have a chance to at least clinch the second seed with a victory in that game, but they also still have a shot at the best record in the East if they can beat the Bulls. Chicago has not lost more than two games in a row all season though and rides a four-game winning streak into this matchup.
The Bulls have also won eight of their last nine games overall but are just 1-4 against the spread in their past five. They have dropped two of the first three meetings with Boston so far, with each team winning on their own home court. The Celtics are 1-4 ATS in the past five meetings.
Boston visits Chicago off consecutive wins for the first time since March 21, after which the team proceeded to go 2-4 straight-up and 1-5 ATS in the next six games. That rough patch likely cost the Celts a legitimate chance of earning the top seed, but they would still love to win the season series with the Bulls and gain a possible mental advantage if they meet again in the playoffs.
Chicago’s lack of postseason experience compared to Boston is one of the team’s only weaknesses, yet MVP candidate Derrick Rose still went seven games in a first-round series against the Celtics two years ago as a rookie. Rose’s personal rivalry with Boston’s Rajon Rondo is definitely worth watching, as the two point guards are the most important players on their teams. Rondo got burned by Rose for 36 points in the last meeting at the United Center, resulting in a 90-79 win for the Bulls. The favorite is 6-2 ATS in the past eight meetings.
Now that you have read this NBA betting preview featuring the Bulls & Celtics, make sure to check out the NBA odds on this and all the games to compare the best lines at multiple sportsbooks.
