The Celtics proceed their highway journey with a cease in Chicago to tackle the Bulls. That is the third and remaining assembly between these 2 groups this season. The Celtics are 2-0 up to now this season, successful 124-97 in Boston on 11/28 and successful in Chicago 129-112 on 2/22. The Celtics and Bulls tied the sequence 2-2 final season with every group successful at house.
The Celtics are 131-109 general all time in opposition to the Bulls and 55-71 in video games performed in Chicago. The Celtics are taking part in on the second night time of again to again video games and within the third recreation in 4 nights. The Celtics are 10-2 on the second night time of again to again video games, shedding solely to Charlotte and Milwaukee. The Celtics are 3-1 on the second of again to again video games when each are performed on the highway.
The Celtics stay 1st within the East, 11 video games forward of 2nd place Milwaukee, 12 video games forward of third place Cleveland, 14 video games forward of 4th place Orlando, 14.5 video games forward of fifth place New York, and 17 video games forward of sixth place Indiana. They’re 23-11 on the highway and 8-2 of their final 10 video games. They’re 37-7 in opposition to Jap Convention groups and have received their final 8 video games.
The Bulls are ninth within the East, 3.5 video games forward of tenth place Atlanta and eight video games forward of eleventh place Brooklyn. They’re 4.5 video games behind seventh place Miami and eighth place Philadelphia. They’re 5 video games behind sixth place Indiana and the ultimate assured playoff spot. The Bulls are 18-17 at house and 6-4 of their final 10 video games. They’re 18-22 in opposition to Jap Convention groups and are coming off a loss of their final recreation.
The Celtics simply completed up 2 video games at house, beating the Pistons and likewise the Milwaukee Bucks. They’re taking part in within the second recreation of a 6 recreation highway journey by way of Detroit, Chicago, 2 video games in Atlanta, New Orleans and Charlotte. They’ll return house for 3 video games in opposition to Oklahoma Metropolis, Sacramento, and Portland. Then it’s one recreation in Milwaukee earlier than ending the season at house in opposition to New York, Charlotte and Washington.
The Bulls are taking part in within the first recreation of a 3 recreation house stand with Washington and Indiana coming in after the Celtics. They’ll then play at Brooklyn and Minnesota earlier than returning house to host Atlanta and New York. They’ll play at Orlando and residential in opposition to New York earlier than ending the season on the highway in opposition to New York, Detroit, and Washington.
As soon as once more, it’s robust to foretell who will play for the Celtics with a number of gamers questionable. Since they performed in Friday’s portion of the again to again, I’m going to guess that Kristaps Porzingis and Jaylen Brown is not going to play on this one. Jayson Tatum and Al Horford will doubtless play. Jrue Vacation has missed 3 video games with a shoulder contusion and will miss this one additionally. I’m guessing that the starters will probably be Pritchard, White, Hauser, Tatum and Horford. That’s simply my guess, nonetheless.
For the Bulls, Lonzo Ball has missed all the season with numerous knee accidents. They’re hoping that he’ll have the ability to play subsequent season. Zach LaVine is out after season-ending surgical procedure on his proper foot. Julian Phillips is out with a proper foot sprain. Patrick Williams underwent surgical procedure to repair bone edema in his left foot and will probably be out for the rest of the season. Coby White (hip) and Alex Caruso (ankle) are each possible for this recreation.
Possible Celtics Starters
Celtics Reserves
Oshae Brissett
Luke Kornet
Svi Mykhailiuk
Jaden Springer
Jordan Walsh
Xavier Tillman
2 Manner Gamers
JD Davison
Drew Peterson
Neemias Queta
Accidents/Out
Kristaps Porzingis (hamstring) questionable
Jaylen Brown (ankle) questionable
Jrue Vacation (shoulder) questionable
Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla
Bulls Reserves
Onuralp Bitim
Jevon Carter
Andre Drummond
Terry Taylor
Dalen Terry
Coby White
Two Manner Gamers
Andrew Funk
Henri Drell
Adama Sanogo
Accidents/Out
Lonzo Ball (knee) out
Zach LaVine (foot) out
Julian Phillips (foot) out
Patrick Williams (foot) out
Coby White (hip) possible
Alex Caruso (ankle) possible
Head Coach
Billy Donovan
Key Matchups
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Jaylen Brown
Pictures by Michael Gonzales/NBAE through Getty Pictures
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DeMar DeRozan
Picture by Scott Taetsch/Getty Pictures
Jaylen Brown vs DeMar DeRozan
DeRozan is averaging 23.1 factors, 4.3 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.1 steals per recreation. He’s capturing 47.2% from the sector and 33.5% from past the arc. In opposition to the Celtics this season, DeRozan averaged 19 factors, 3 rebounds and 5.5 assists whereas capturing 45.2% from the sector and 33.3% from past the arc. DeRozan is superb and the Celtics must defend him, particularly within the mid-range.
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Al Horford
Picture by Brian Babineau/NBAE through Getty Pictures
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Nikola Vucevic
Picture by Michael Reaves/Getty Pictures
Al Horford vs Nikola Vucevic
Vucevic is averaging 18.2 factors, 10.7 rebounds and three.3 assists per recreation. He’s capturing 47.9% from the sector and 28.6% from past the arc. In opposition to the Celtics this season, he averaged 15 factors, 11 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal, whereas capturing 46.7% from the sector with no 3 pointers. The Celtics must hold him off the boards.
Honorable Point out
Sam Hauser vs Coby White
White has had an excellent 12 months and has began for a lot of the season for the Bulls however in latest video games has come off the bench. He’s averaging 19.4 factors, 4.7 rebounds and 5.2 assists per recreation. He’s capturing 45.1% from the sector and 38.8% from past the arc. In opposition to the Celtics this season, he has averaged 19.5 factors, 1.5 rebounds and three.5 assists whereas capturing 44.8% from the sector and 50% from past the arc.
Keys to the Sport
Protection – Protection is at all times a key to successful. The Celtics are 2nd within the league with a defensive ranking of 110.4. The Bulls are sixteenth with a defensive ranking of 115.5. 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.
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 46.8 rebounds per recreation, which is 1st within the league. The Bulls are averaging 43.6 rebounds per recreation, which is seventeenth. The Celtics should 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.
Take Care of the Ball – The Celtics must give attention to making good passes and on not dribbling right into a crowd. It’s arduous to win a recreation if you give the opponent 15+ additional possessions by turning the ball over. The Bulls are ninth within the league with 17.1 factors off turnovers a recreation and the Celtics should give attention to taking good care of the basketball to restrict these additional factors for the Bulls.
Don’t Underestimate – The Celtics can’t underestimate the Bulls. They could be tempted to as a result of the Bulls have a shedding report and since they beat them twice already this season. However that might be harmful in opposition to a group that’s in the course of the East and has younger gamers who will play arduous and need to win. The Celtics have to return out and play arduous from begin to end.
X-Components
Street Sport and Fatigue – The Celtics are taking part in on the highway and can have the distractions of journey and a lodge keep and taking part in in entrance of hostile followers in an unfamiliar area. The Celtics are taking part in on the second night time of again to again video games and within the third recreation in 4 nights together with taking part in quick handed in these video games. Fatigue might come into play on this one.
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’ll allow them to play and let the sport get bodily. The Celtics want to regulate to the way in which the sport is known as and never let missed calls or unhealthy calls have an effect on their focus. If the calls are unhealthy, they simply must play tougher to make up for them and never waste time arguing with the officers.
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