Chicago Bulls vs Boston Celtics Picks and Prediction for Friday October 30 2026
In Friday night NBA action, the Chicago Bulls will travel to TD Garden to take on the Boston Celtics. This battle will get started at 7:30 pm EST on October 30, 2026. The game can be streamed on NBA League Pass. The Celtics have been installed as a sizable 11.5 point home favorite and the total as of writing is 232.5. Be ready for all of this season's NBA action with our free NBA picks.
Chicago not shooting the ball well
The Chicago Bulls have made just one playoff appearance in the previous nine seasons and their last playoff series victory was in 2015. The Bulls (1-4) knocked it out of the park with fourth overall pick Caleb Wilson, but still have a long way to go to become relevant. On Wednesday, Chicago was outscored by 12 points over the final 12 minutes during a 133-127 home loss versus NBA Champion New York.
Norman Powell led six Chicago players in double figures with 30 points on 10-for-15 from the floor. Caleb Wilson continued to impress with 20 points (7-18 FG), six rebounds, and four assists. Jalen Smith and Matas Buzelis added 17 points each on a combined 12-for-25 shooting effort.
New Chicago head coach Tiago Splitter has vowed to open up the offense, but they currently rank 26th in offensive efficiency (103.7). The Bulls are last in the league in effective field goal percentage (48.6) and are averaging 114 points per game. During Wednesday’s loss, Chicago connected on 18-for-43 from long distance and scored at least 29 points in each quarter.
Boston revitalized with a healthy Tatum
The Boston Celtics have missed the playoffs just once in the previous ten seasons and are a couple of years removed from their NBA record 18th championship. The Celtics (3-1) traded All-Star G Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia in the offseason, but still believe that they have a championship roster. On Tuesday, Boston trailed for 70 percent of the time and needed overtime to escape with a 125-124 home victory versus Brooklyn.
Boston F Jayson Tatum nailed the game-winning basket as time expired in overtime and finished with 40 points (18-22 FT). Paul George contributed 20 points (8-16 FG), seven rebounds, and seven assists. Derrick White added 16 points (1-7 3PT), seven assists, and five boards for the Celtics.
Last season, the Celtics ranked second in the league in offensive efficiency (116.8) and averaged a shade below 115 points per game. During Tuesday's home victory, the Celtics missed 30 of 41 three-point attempts and shot 45 percent overall. Boston converted 30-of-38 free-throw attempts and scored just four fast break points.
Chicago Bulls vs Boston Celtics Picks and Prediction
Pick: Chicago Bulls +11.5
Chicago C Nic Claxton (hamstring) is doing individual drills and is expected to return to action next week. These two teams just met on Monday, with Boston scoring a dominant 134-99 home victory. The Bulls hold an edge over the Celtics on the glass and will be motivated for a better showing in this spot. Take Chicago to cover on the road.
Pick: Under 232.5
Boston played at the slowest tempo in the league last season, but currently ranks fifth in that category. Chicago is 24th in defensive efficiency and surrenders an average of 130.2 points per contest. Look for the Bulls to give a much better effort on that end of the floor in a game that stays under the total.
Final Score Prediction: Boston Celtics win 115-109