Chicago Bulls vs. Boston Celtics Odds, Analysis, NBA Playoff Betting Pick

The top-seeded Boston Celtics will try to bounce back Tuesday from a tough loss in their first-round series opener against the eighth-seeded Chicago Bulls as solid home favorites at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark for Game 2.

The Celtics fell 106-102 in Game 1 despite a game-high 33 points from point guard Isaiah Thomas, who will play again here despite his younger sister getting killed in a car accident Saturday.

Point spread: The Celtics opened as seven-point favorites; the total is at 205.5, according to sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark. (Line updates and matchup report)

NBA betting pick, via OddsShark computer: 107.2-102.9, Bulls (NBA picks on every game)

Why the Bulls can cover the spread

While Thomas scored 33 points in Game 1, Chicago got 30 points from Jimmy Butler, who was reportedly a top trade target of Boston's leading up to the deadline.

Butler always seems to play well with a chip on his shoulder, and he is intent on showing the Celtics what they missed out on during this series. The former college teammate of Boston's Jae Crowder at Marquette remains one of the most underrated players in the NBA, and another former Marquette player, Dwyane Wade, compared Butler's performance to LeBron James.

Why the Celtics can cover the spread

It will be hard for Thomas to top his Game 1 play, but his teammates can certainly perform better. Boston got just 14 points combined from Crowder and Amir Johnson, who combined to make only six of 20 shots from the field.

The Celtics were far more consistent than the Bulls during the regular season, hence the No. 1 seed. Now they just need to go out and play like it, and that will mean providing more support for a grief-stricken Thomas, who is doing his best to fight through the pain and play at a high level.

Smart betting pick

Chicago has split the past eight meetings with Boston both straight up and against the spread, but the Bulls have not beaten the Celtics in two straight games since January of 2015. Yet Boston has not won in Chicago since November of 2014, so this could be a must-win situation for them.

Look for Thomas to again have another inspiring game and lead the Celtics to a Game 2 win and cover on the Vegas lines.

NBA betting trends

Chicago is 4-1 ATS in its last five games.

Chicago is 7-2 ATS in its last nine games on the road.

Boston is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games.

All NBA lines and betting trends courtesy of Bleacher Report’s official odds partner, OddsShark. All quotes gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. Check out Twitter for injury and line-movement updates and the OddsShark YouTube page for picks and analysis, or download the free odds tracker app.