After 5 video games in opposition to Western Convention groups, the Celtics host the Chicago Bulls. That is the 4th, and closing, sport between these two groups this season. The Celtics gained the primary sport in Chicago on 11/29. They misplaced the 2nd sport in Boston on 12/19 and gained the third sport in Chicago on 12/21.
The Celtics gained the sequence 3-0 final season, profitable 2 video games at Chicago and 1 sport at Boston. The Celtics are 136-110 general all time in opposition to the Bulls. They’re 75-40 in video games performed in Boston.
The Celtics stay 2nd within the East. After shifting to inside 4.5 video games of 1st place Cleveland, the Celtics have slipped again to five.5 video games out of first place. They’re simply 1 sport forward of third place New York, who’ve gained their final 4 video games. They’re 15-9 at residence and 5-5 of their final 10 video games. They’re 23-9 in opposition to Japanese Convention groups. They’re coming off a loss of their final sport.
The Bulls are tenth within the East and within the closing play in spot. They’re 17.5 video games behind first place Cleveland and 4 video games behind sixth place Miami and the final assured playoff spot. They’re 1.5 video games forward of eleventh place Philadelphia. They’re 11-11 on the highway and 3-7 of their final 10 video games. They’re 15-16 in opposition to Japanese Convention groups and gained their final sport.
The Celtics are enjoying within the second straight residence sport a 4 sport highway journey the place they went 3-1. After this residence sport they may have one other 3 sport highway journey via New Orleans, Philadelphia and Cleveland. Then one sport at residence in opposition to Dallas earlier than enjoying at New York and at Miami and residential in opposition to San Antonio earlier than the All Star Break.
The Bulls are enjoying within the first sport of a 3 sport highway journey that may proceed via Toronto and Detroit. They then face Miami at residence earlier than one sport on the highway at Minnesota. They may then play Golden State and a couple of video games in opposition to Detroit at residence earlier than the All Star Break.
Al Horford was questionable earlier than Monday’s sport with a toe harm after which was listed as accessible, however he ended up sitting it out. He’s as soon as once more questionable for this sport. Sam Hauser missed Monday’s sport and is questionable for this sport with a proper hip impingement. Jayson Tatum performed nearly 42 minutes on Monday and is questionable for this sport with proper knee tendinopathy.
For the Bulls, Torrey Craig has missed a month attributable to a sprained proper ankle and stays out for this sport. Zach LaVine is out for this sport and is anticipated to overlook the Bulls 3 sport highway journey attributable to paternity go away. Coby White is listed as questionable with an ankle sprain.
Possible Celtics Starters
Grid View
Celtics ReservesLuke KornetPayton PritchardNeemias QuetaBaylor ScheiermanJaden SpringerJordan WalshXavier Tillman
2 Manner PlayersJD DavisonDrew PetersonAnton Watson
Accidents/OutSam Hauser (hip) questionable Jayson Tatum (knee) questionable Al Horford (toe) questionable
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Bulls Starters
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Chicago Bulls Reserves Matas BuzelisJevon CarterChris Duarte Talen Horton-TuckerJulian PhillipsJalen SmithDalen Terry
2-Manner PlayersEJ LiddellAdama SonogoEmmanuel Miller
Accidents/Out Coby White (ankle) questionable Zach LaVine (private) outTorrey Craig (ankle) out
Head CoachBilly Donovan
Key Matchups
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Kristaps Porzingis
Photograph by Brian Fluharty/Getty Photographs
Nikola Vucevic
Photograph by Michael Reaves/Getty Photographs
Kristaps Porzingis vs Nikola VucevicVucevic is averaging 20.1 factors, 10.3 rebounds, and three.5 assists. He’s taking pictures 54.9% from the sphere and 47.5% from past the arc. Within the first sport in opposition to the Celtics, he completed with 32 factors, 11 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 block whereas taking pictures 68.8% from the sphere and 39.8% from past the arc. The Celtics must hold Vucevic off the boards and restrict his photographs each within the paint and on the perimeter, as he shoots the ball very properly.
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Jaylen Brown
Photograph by Harry How/Getty Photographs
Ayo Dosunmu
Photograph by Michael Reaves/Getty Photographs
Jaylen Brown vs Ayo DosunmuDosunmu is averaging 12.4 factors, 3.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per sport. He’s taking pictures 48.9% from the sphere and 33.8% from past the arc. Over his profession in opposition to the Celtics, he averaged 12.8 factors, 5.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists.
Honorable MentionJrue Vacation vs Josh GiddeyGiddey is averaging 11.5 factors, 7.4 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 1.1 steals per sport. He’s taking pictures 44.1% from the sphere and 33.1% from past the arc. Over his profession, he has averaged 16.7 factors, 7.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.0 steals. He at all times appears to stand up to play the Celtics.
Keys to the Recreation Protection – Protection is at all times a key to profitable. The Celtics are fifth within the league with a defensive score of 109.8. The Bulls are twenty fourth with a defensive score of 115.3. The Bulls are seventh, scoring 116.7 factors per sport whereas the Celtics are fifth, scoring 117.5 factors per sport. The Celtics must win this sport with their protection and never attempt to win a shoot out. The Celtics must get a powerful defensive effort from each participant on the court docket and they should make protection a precedence for all 48 minutes with no slacking off. The Celtics must particularly guard the three level line because the Bulls try the 2nd most threes per sport (43) and make the second most threes per sport (16.0).
Rebound – The Celtics should field out and crash the boards. They’ll’t rating with out the ball and it’ll take additional effort on their half to beat the Bulls on the boards. The Celtics are averaging 45 rebounds per sport, which is eleventh within the league. The Bulls are averaging 45.8 rebounds per sport, which is 4th. The Celtics need to put out extra effort to get to the rebounds earlier than the Bulls and provides themselves additional possessions and restrict these possessions for the Bulls.
Three Level Taking pictures – The Celtics usually shoot 3s at a historic price however there are occasions when their photographs simply aren’t falling. The Celtics are first within the league, taking 48.7 threes per sport. The Bulls are 2nd, taking 43 threes per sport. The Bulls are extra environment friendly, taking pictures 37.2% from past the arc (ninth) whereas the Celtics shoot 36.4% from past the arc (thirteenth). The Celtics must give attention to taking good photographs and they should transfer the ball in order to get open photographs. If the 3s aren’t falling, they should get to the basket.
Focus and Effort for 48 Minutes- The Celtics have misplaced 9 video games thus far this season after main by double digits within the 4th quarter. The Celtics need to hold their focus and their effort at 100% and particularly not lose focus down the stretch. The Celtics need to play arduous and provides most effort and never below carry out as a result of the Bulls are below .500.
X-Elements Dwelling Recreation – The Celtics are at residence and can have the group behind them to offer them additional motivation. Nevertheless, the Celtics haven’t been enjoying their finest at residence this season and must attempt to flip that round. The Bulls have all of the distractions of enjoying on the highway together with journey, staying in resorts, enjoying in entrance of a hostile crowd and on an unfamiliar court docket.
Officiating – The officiating is at all times an x-factor. Generally a crew will name the sport tight and blow a whistle on each play. Different instances they may allow them to play and let the sport get bodily. Generally they may favor one staff over the opposite and different instances they may name it even. Generally they’re simply dangerous. The Celtics want to regulate to the way in which the sport is named and never let missed calls or dangerous calls have an effect on their focus. If the calls are dangerous, they only must play more durable to make up for them and never waste time arguing with the officers.
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