3rd Quarter Report
The Celtics are on the road but looking no worse for wear. It's still anybody's game after three quarters, but they are currently ahead of the Bulls 95-92.
The Celtics entered the matchup having won eight straight and they're just one quarter away from another. Will they make it nine, or will the Bulls step up and spoil it? We'll know soon.
Who's Playing
Boston Celtics @ Chicago Bulls
Current Records: Boston 56-14, Chicago 34-36
How To Watch
- When: Saturday, March 23, 2024 at 8 p.m. ET
- Where: United Center -- Chicago, Illinois
- TV: NBATV
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket Cost: $88.00
What to Know
The Bulls will be in front of their home fans on Saturday, but a look at the spread shows they might need that home-court advantage. They will take on the Boston Celtics at 8:00 p.m. ET on Saturday.
Last Thursday, Chicago came up short against the Rockets and fell 127-117.
The losing side was boosted by Ayo Dosunmu, who scored 35 points along with three steals. As a matter of fact, that's the most points he has scored all season.
Meanwhile, the Celtics had already won seven in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 16.7 points), and they went ahead and made it eight on Friday. They put the hurt on Detroit with a sharp 129-102 victory. The Celtics were heavily favored coming into this matchup, and the results showcase why.
The Celtics' success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Jaylen Brown led the charge by scoring 33 points along with four steals. Another player making a difference was Derrick White, who dropped a double-double on 19 points and 11 assists.
Chicago's defeat dropped their record down to 34-36. As for Boston, they have been performing incredibly well recently as they've won 19 of their last 21 matchups, which provided a nice bump to their 56-14 record this season.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: The Bulls haven't given up the ball easily this season, having only averaged 11.7 turnovers per game (they're ranked fourth in turnovers per game overall). However, it's not like the Celtics (currently ranked second in turnovers per game) struggle in that department as they've been averaging only 11.4 turnovers per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
The Bulls lost to the Celtics at home by a decisive 129-112 margin in their previous meeting back in February. Can the Bulls avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Odds
Boston is a solid 7-point favorite against Chicago, according to the latest NBA odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Celtics as a 7.5-point favorite.
The over/under is 222 points.
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Series History
Boston has won 6 out of their last 10 games against Chicago.
- Feb 22, 2024 - Boston 129 vs. Chicago 112
- Nov 28, 2023 - Boston 124 vs. Chicago 97
- Jan 09, 2023 - Boston 107 vs. Chicago 99
- Nov 21, 2022 - Chicago 121 vs. Boston 107
- Nov 04, 2022 - Boston 123 vs. Chicago 119
- Oct 24, 2022 - Chicago 120 vs. Boston 102
- Apr 06, 2022 - Boston 117 vs. Chicago 94
- Jan 15, 2022 - Boston 114 vs. Chicago 112
- Nov 01, 2021 - Chicago 128 vs. Boston 114
- May 07, 2021 - Chicago 121 vs. Boston 99
