Boston Celtics vs. Chicago Bulls Predictions, Picks and Preview – 2017 NBA Playoffs – Eastern Conference First Round Game Three

Boston Celtics vs. Chicago Bulls Game 3 Preview

Where: United Center, Chicago, IL

When: Friday, April 21, 2017, 7:00 PM ET

Line: Boston Celtics (+1.5) at Chicago Bulls (-1.5); total: 207.5 – view all NBA lines

TV Broadcast: ESPN

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Betting on the Boston Celtics (EVEN)

Point Spread: +1.5

With the baffling 111-97 loss in Game 2 to the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday, many basketball fans are really starting to believe that the Boston Celtics are indeed the worst No. 1 seed in NBA playoff history.

The Celtics’ small-ball ways aren’t working to their advantage in this series at all. They’ve taken just as many shots from deep in Games 1 and 2 in line with their regular-season average of 33.4 three-point attempts, but they’ve only made a dismal 33.8 percent of those three’s thus far.

Isaiah Thomas, who finished with 20 points and went 1-for-5 from downtown on Tuesday, remains the only Boston player to score more than 20 points in a game this series. The diminutive guard isn’t as explosive now as he was in the regular season, having to constanly create paths and shots through Chicago’s towering defenders.

On the bright side, the C’s pulled dead-even with the Bulls in the rebounding department on Tuesday, 49-49, after being badly outhustled on the boards by 21 in Game 1. They even had a 52-44 edge in points in the paint in Game 2.

However, Boston also committed 16 turnovers that led to 23 points for Chicago. That’s now the second-straight time that the Celtics committed the same amount of errors, and they simply cannot afford to have that many blunders on the road this coming Friday.

Only three of 23 previous NBA teams were able to win a playoff series after losing the first two games at home. The Celtics could still be that fourth team, but we’re not counting on that from happening just yet, especially since they’ve lost seven of their last eight games held in the Windy City (2-6 ATS).

Betting on the Chicago Bulls (-120)

Point Spread: -1.5

A mixture of size and playoff experience make for a potent formula that would explain the Chicago Bulls’ recent success.

Just about every star player from Chicago had a terrific showing in Game 3, as the team ended up with a sizzling 51.1-percent field-goal percentage on the night. Jimmy Butler tallied 22 points along with eight rebounds and eight assists, Rajon Rondo nearly finished with a triple-double as well with his 11-9-14 stat line, and Dwyane Wade scored 16 of his 22 points in the second half.

Even underrated center Robin Lopez found his groove with 18 points (8-of-11 shooting) and eight boards, which goes to show that the Celtics haven’t been able to match the Bulls’ verticality on the floor. Lopez, mind you, was just one of four Chicago starters to haul in seven or more loose balls on Tuesday.

The issues in height for Boston doesn’t stop there; the Bulls have a total of 13 blocks in the series already, with five of them having being dealt unto Thomas.

Unless the Celtics find a way to use their speed to their advantage, the Bulls are well on their way at becoming only the fourth eight-seeded team in league history to topple a conference champion in the first round. They’ll like their chances at doing just that these next couple of games, as they entered the playoffs with six wins in their last seven regular-season home games (5-2 ATS).

Writer’s Prediction

The Bulls (-1.5) beat the Celtics again, 97-92, to re-accommodate their long-time rivals into a first-class cabin for teams facing playoff elimination – courtesy of the lovely folks at the United Center.

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