Last April, the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls played one of the most competitive and exciting first round series in NBA playoff history. This year's first two meetings could not have been any less competitive and drama-less. Thursday night on TNT, the Celtics try and do something they were unable to last spring and that's beat the Bulls three straight times. Bet on every play with BodogLive.

Boston has won this year's first two meetings by an average 27 points per game, first winning 118-90 as 11.5-point home favorites and then 106-80 in Chicago last month laying 9.5 points. This go around, they'll be favored by just seven points.

The lopsided nature of those two games is in stark contrast to last year's seven-game playoff marathon between the teams that saw five games decided by three points or less, three of which required overtime. Interestingly, the other four games in the last nine meetings have all been decided by double-digits and won by Boston.

This has been an Over series with 11 of the last 14 meetings exceeding the total, including eight of nine here in Beantown. BetUS Sportsbook has opened the total at 194.5 points. Both teams have gone Over in each of their last two games.

The Celtics started the week by losing again to Atlanta, the third time the Hawks have gotten them this season. Against the rest of the league they are 27-7 SU and 17-17 ATS. The team quickly rebounded with a convincing 111-87 win over the lowly Nets. Paul Pierce scored 24 points in 28 minutes as Boston produced its highest scoring first half of the season (71 points).

Boston is quite banged up right now with Kevin Garnett has not played at all during the New Year and Pierce, Rasheed Wallace and Rajon Rondo have also all missed time during the last two and half weeks. Wallace has missed each of the last two games and is expected to miss tonight's game as well.

Chicago has been on fire at the betting windown, covering eight of its last nine. They have won their last two games, over Minnesota and Detroit, in blowout fashion. A 33-point win over the Pistons Monday night was the team's largest margin of victory yet this season.

The Bulls are not a good road team, however, losing their last two away from the United Center to fall to just 3-13 straight up on the year.

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