BOSTON (Interstat) — The Chicago Bulls will face the Boston Celtics in an NBA game Friday at TD Garden. Chicago enters with a 1-4 record, while Boston is 3-1. The Celtics won the teams’ most recent meeting 134-99. Boston’s early results include wins over Brooklyn, Chicago and New York and a road loss at Detroit. Chicago’s first five games include a road win at Milwaukee and losses to Toronto, Washington, Boston and New York.

Jalen Smith is Chicago’s player to watch. Across his recent appearances, Smith has been productive on the glass and around the rim. He had 17 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and three blocks in a loss to New York. He also posted 14 points and 13 rebounds in a win at Milwaukee, 14 points and three rebounds against Washington, and 15 points with eight rebounds at Toronto. Smith played 30 minutes against New York and 24 minutes in each of the games against Milwaukee and Washington. He played 19 minutes at Toronto. In the earlier meeting with Boston, Smith finished with seven points and six rebounds. Chicago’s most recent loss to New York also featured 30 points from Norman Powell and 20 points from Caleb Wilson, giving the Bulls multiple scoring options to monitor.

Jayson Tatum is Boston’s player to watch. Tatum scored 40 points with five rebounds and eight assists in an overtime win against Brooklyn. He had 23 points, seven rebounds and six assists against Chicago, 36 points, nine rebounds and seven assists against New York, and 13 points with 11 assists at Detroit. Tatum played 42 minutes in the Brooklyn win and 28 minutes against Chicago. He played 37 minutes against New York and 38 minutes at Detroit. Paul George added 20 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in Boston’s most recent overtime victory, while Jordan Walsh contributed 15 points.

The matchup will test Chicago’s ability to contain Boston’s top scoring threat while generating enough offense against a Celtics team playing at home. The Bulls are seeking consistency after a difficult start, and the Celtics are aiming to build on their early-season momentum. Smith’s rebounding and interior presence will be important for Chicago, while Tatum’s scoring and playmaking will draw significant attention from the Bulls’ defense. Chicago will continue its schedule with games at Philadelphia and New York before returning home. Boston’s upcoming slate includes games at Orlando and Houston.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a final score of Boston 115, Chicago 111. Interstat’s ELO system gives Boston a 94.3 percent probability to win. Boston has been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -15. The over/under for the game is 234.5.