On Thursday evening, the Chicago Bulls got here in to TD Backyard and surprised the Celtics, leaving with a 117-108 victory. Boston had their second worst three-point capturing efficiency of the season, simply 25% as a staff, and that, too, on 56 makes an attempt. The sport was nicely inside attain all through, and the Celtics have been even main to start out the 4th quarter, however Chicago introduced a late burst of vitality to push themselves excessive, coupled with a psychological collapse by the Celtics.
Whether or not warranted or not, Joe Mazzulla and Jaylen Brown acquired technical fouls in a 3-point recreation with simply over 5 minutes to play, and Jayson Tatum acquired one in all his personal simply 2 minutes later. Tonight, the 2 groups match up once more, this time in Chicago.
How a lot focus do the Celtics placed on the paint if the three-point pictures proceed to fail?
The Celtics haven’t budged a lot on the subject of taking threes, averaging over 50 makes an attempt per recreation this season. They’ve solely taken beneath 50 makes an attempt ten occasions this season, and have a file of 8-2 in such video games, the 2 losses coming to Atlanta (42 3PA) and Cleveland (49 3PA). That being mentioned, all six of their losses have are available in video games the place they shot at or beneath 40% from three.
Chicago isn’t a kind of groups with an intimidating paint protector, Nikola Vucevic averaging simply 0.8 blocks per recreation. The Celtics ended up scoring at a 77.3% clip within the circle on Thursday evening, 66.7% within the paint as an entire, which resulted in 44 complete factors. They have been in a position to rating there kind of at will, so if the threes proceed to bounce out, perhaps we see the Celtics look to assault the paint extra tonight.
Can the Celtics win the rebounding battle?
Within the first matchup in opposition to the Bulls, Boston outrebounded Chicago 51 to 43. In Thursday’s matchup, the Bulls flipped the script, outrebounding the Celtics 56 to 45. In each video games, the Bulls ended the evening with the upper FG%, although by a wider margin within the final recreation. If the Celtics wish to win tonight, they’re going to should do a greater job on the boards. Securing additional possessions whereas additionally stopping them for Chicago is the easiest way to beat poor capturing performances.
Will the Celtics keep their defensive depth all through the sport?
The Celtics began Thursday’s matchup with a block get together, recording 3 blocks within the 1st quarter and 1 within the 2nd. There have been a minimum of a pair extra pictures that appeared like Derrick White and Kristaps Porzingis have been in a position to have an effect on, however finally weren’t added on to the stat sheet. They saved the get together going within the third quarter, with White and Porzingis combining for 3 extra blocks.
The staff had a defensive score of 110.2 within the 1st half, together with a score of 116.7 within the third quarter. Within the 4th quarter, nevertheless, the staff had an abysmal defensive score of 140.0, which led to a web score of -52.0 for the quarter. Even by the attention check, Boston appeared gradual and uncomposed. By the tip, it felt as if Chicago was in a position to blow previous Boston’s defenders at will. It appeared as if the Celtics have been getting annoyed, and that frustration boiled over to the purpose the place it was directed on the officers.
In the end, their lack of effort on the defensive finish is what let Thursday’s matchup slip out of their fingers. To keep away from a repeat, they’re going to have to come back out with a chip on their shoulder. Sustaining a powerful protection all through the whole thing of the sport is the easiest way to help their offense, and assist them come out with a victory.
