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Our NBA betting expert breaks down his prediction as a couple of marquee NBA teams square off on Monday. The Boston Celtics visit the Chicago Bulls at 8:00 p.m. ET. 

Celtics star Jayson Tatum appears to be making an MVP-like leap while DeMar DeRozan, who is enjoying a spectacular start to the season as well, continues to defy father time. Boston has bounced back from an NBA Finals loss to the Golden State Warriors with a 3-0 start to the 2022-23 season. Chicago has started the year 1-2 and is looking to make it past the opening round of the playoffs for the first time since the 2014-15 season. 

Spread: Celtics -5.5 vs. Bulls +5.5

Moneyline: Celtics (-250) vs. Bulls (+195)

Total: Over 224.5 | Under 224.5

The Celtics have dominated to open the season. Boston beat a fellow title contender in the Philadelphia 76ers by nine on opening night at home before heading to Florida to play the Heat and Magic in a back-to-back. The Celtics topped Miami and Orlando on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, to remain undefeated on the young season. 

Tatum, who made the All-NBA First Team last year for the first time, looks as if he’s taking his game to another level. The 24-year-old forward is averaging 34.7 points per game on .587 shooting through three contests – both of which would be career highs by far. The Celtics’ offense, in turn, is humming. Boston’s 124.3 offensive rating so far this season leads the NBA. 

The Bulls, meanwhile, have struggled out of the gate. After a mildly surprising road win against the Heat on its season opener, Chicago has dropped two straight, losing to the Wizards by two in the nation’s capital and getting blown out by 32 against the Cavaliers, who were missing All-Star point guard Darius Garland, at home on Saturday. 

The Bulls are still without Lonzo Ball, who will be out indefinitely due to a knee injury. The young point guard helped Chicago get off to a 27-13 start last season before they finished 19-23 without him. It doesn’t help that last year’s second-leading scorer Zach LaVine is still working his way back from a knee injury of his own. It’s early, but the Bulls have posted the sixth-worst net rating (-7.9) this season, just ahead of the tanking Oklahoma City Thunder. 

The Celtics have yet to win a game by less than six points this season. They, somehow, look as good or better than they did last year despite losing their head coach, Ime Udoka, weeks before the season’s start. Look for Boston to continue its early dominance against a Chicago team struggling to stay healthy.

Celtics -5.5 (BetMGM)