Chicago Bulls vs Boston Celtics Prediction & ATS Picks – 1/5/2026

The Chicago Bulls will visit the Boston Celtics on Monday night in what could be a lopsided Eastern Conference matchup at TD Garden in Boston. The Celtics come into the game well-positioned with a 22-12 record, riding a three-game winning streak. The Bulls are 17-18 and they enter this contest shorthanded. Can Chicago do enough to pull off an upset on the road? Here, I make my Bulls vs Celtics prediction in the NBA.

Our Bulls vs Celtics Pick

Game Snapshot

• Matchup: Chicago Bulls @ Boston Celtics
• Date & Time: January 5, 2026, 7:30 PM ET
• Venue: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
• Broadcast: NBA League Pass

Key Storylines

• The Celtics have still managed strong results in January play despite Jayson Tatum being absent due to an Achilles injury. Jaylen Brown has taken on a massive offensive burden, recently matching his career high with 50 points in a victory over the LA Clippers. Boston has exceeded expectations despite being short-handed early in the year.
• Boston is coming off a dominant road trip performance in which they shot over 55% from the field in their latest win and they got contributions from role players like Derrick White and Jordan Walsh. Those role players have played just as big a role in Boston’s recent success as Jaylen Brown.
• The Bulls are battling through an alarming list of injuries. Key contributors such as Josh Giddey, Zach Collins, and Jalen Smith are all out for this game. Coby White is listed as questionable with a calf issue, and the question marks for the Bulls from a health standpoint could be too much for them to overcome here.
• Chicago’s offense has been solid, scoring over 118 points per game. But their defense has been a major liability, conceding over 121 points per game. The Bulls could struggle to contain the frequent three-point shooting of the Celtics in what should be an interesting test for Chicago on Monday night.

Head-to-Head & Betting Trends

• The Bulls and Celtics are playing for the first time this season. They will play a total of three regular-season games.
• Boston is 20-14 against the spread this season.
• The Bulls are 18-17 against the spread going into Monday night.
• The under is 18-16 in Celtics games this year.
• The under is 19-16 this season for the Bulls.

Best Player Props to Watch

Bulls vs Celtics Model Projection

Final Thoughts

Jay Sanin

Jay Sanin is the GM and Head of Sports at ATS.io. He has been writing about sports gambling since 2013, handicapping tens of thousands of sporting events. He plays sides and totals aggressively across most sports and is more selective in player prop markets. He does his own modeling across most sports, and his family is jealous of how much time he spends on his precious spreadsheets.