Chicago Bulls (24-29) at Boston Celtics (34-19)Wednesday, February 11, 20267:30 PM ETRegular Season Recreation #54, House Recreation #27TV: NBCSB, Chicago Sports activities Community, NBA-LPRadio: 98.5 Sports activities Hub, 104.3 The Rating, Sirius XMTD Backyard
The Celtics host the Chicago Bulls for the third, and closing, recreation between them this season. The Celtics received the primary recreation in Boston 115-101 on January 5. They misplaced the second recreation 114-111 in Chicago on January 24. The Celtics received the sequence 3-1 final season. The Bulls haven’t received the season sequence with the Celtics since 2020-21. The Celtics have received 8 of the final 10 video games towards the Bulls. The Celtics are 138-111 general all time towards the Bulls and they’re 79-40 in video games performed in Boston.
The Bulls didn’t change a lot within the off season, however they made 7 trades on the commerce deadline so this Bulls staff may be very completely different from the one the Celtics confronted in January. They traded Nikola Vucevic to Boston for Anfernee Simons. They traded Emanuel Miller for Dario Saric, who they traded with Kevin Huerter for Jaden Ivey and Mike Conley. They traded Conley and Coby White for Collin Sexton and Ousmene Dieng. They traded Dieng for Nick Richards. They traded Dalen Terry for Guerschon Yabusele. They traded Ayo Dosunmo and Julian Phillips for Leonard Miller and Rob Dillingham.
The Celtics are 2nd within the East, 5.5 video games behind 1st place Detroit. By advantage of the Knicks loss to the Pacers, the Celtics are half a recreation forward of third place New York, 1.5 video games forward of 4th place Cleveland, 2.5 video games forward of fifth place Toronto, 4 video games forward of sixth place Philadelphia and 5.5 video games forward of seventh place Orlando. The Celtics are 23-13 towards Jap Convention opponents. They’re 17-9 at residence and 7-3 of their final 10 video games. They misplaced their final recreation after successful the earlier 5 video games.
The Bulls are eleventh within the East. They’re 16 video games behind 1st place Detroit, 6.5 video games behind sixth place Philadelphia, 3.5 video games behind eighth place Miami and 1 recreation behind tenth place Charlotte. They’re 1.5 video games forward of twelfth place Milwaukee. They’re 16-21 towards Jap Convention opponents. They’re 9-18 on the highway and 2-8 of their final 10 video games. They’ve misplaced their final 5 video games.
That is the third recreation of a 3 recreation residence stand. They beat Miami in come from behind thriller within the first recreation and misplaced the 2nd recreation in a lackluster effort towards the Knicks on Tremendous Bowl Sunday. This recreation takes them into the All Star Break. After the break, they may head out on a 4 recreation Western highway journey by means of Golden State, Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix, and Denver.
That is the Bulls closing recreation earlier than the All Star break additionally. After the break, they may have a 7 recreation residence stand the place they may host Toronto, Detroit, New York, Charlotte, Portland, Milwaukee and Oklahoma Metropolis. After the house stand, they head out on a 5 recreation Western highway journey by means of Phoenix, Sacramento, Golden State, the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers.
For the Celtics, Jayson Tatum stays out as he rehabs from the Achilles tear he suffered in final 12 months’s playoffs towards the Knicks. Sam Hauser missed Monday’s recreation on account of lower-back spasms and is obtainable for this recreation. Neemias Queta can also be obtainable after being possible on account of a sprained ankle. I’d guess that Baylor Scheierman would get the beginning at taking pictures guard until Joe goes with the double bigs once more.
For the Bulls, Zach Collins (toe) and Noa Essengue (shoulder) are each listed as out. Josh Giddey is uncertain for this recreation with a hamstring damage and can possible sit out his eighth straight recreation. Tre Jones can also be uncertain for this recreation with a hamstring damage and can miss his eleventh straight recreation. Jalen Smith can also be uncertain for this recreation and is predicted to overlook his third straight recreation with a calf damage. Isaac Okoro is questionable on account of knee soreness.
Possible Beginning MatchupsPG: Derrick White vs Anfernee Simons
SG: Baylor Scheierman vs Jaden Ivey
SF: Jaylen Brown vs Isaac Okoro
PF: Sam Hauser vs Matas Buzelis
C: Neemias Queta vs Guerschon Yabusele
Celtics ReservesPayton PritchardHugo GonzalezLuka GarzaAmare WilliamsNikola VucevicJordan Walsh2-Method PlayersRon Harper, JrMax ShulgaJohn Tonje
Accidents/OutJayson Tatum (Achilles) outNeemias Queta (ankle) availableSam Hauser (again) availableHead CoachJoe Mazzulla
Bulls ReservesRob DillinghamLeonard MillerNick RichardsCollin SextonPatrick Williams
2-Method PlayersYuki KawamuraMac McClungLachlin OlbrichInjuries/OutZach Collina (toe) outNoa Essengue (shoulder) outJosh Giddey (hamstring) doubtfulTre Jones (hamstring) doubtfulJalen Smith (calf) doubtfulIsaac Okoro (knee) questionableHead CoachBilly Donovan
Key Matchups Derrick White vs Anfernee SimonsSimons returns to the TD Backyard the place only a week in the past , he was enjoying for the Celtics. He’s averaging 14.5 factors, 2.4 rebounds, and a pair of.5 assists whereas taking pictures 44.4% from the sphere and 39.1% from past the arc. In his final recreation with the Bulls on Monday, he completed with 23 factors, 3 rebounds, 7 assists and 1 block whereas taking pictures 58.8% from the sphere and 22.2% from past the arc. Hopefully he will get a pleasant welcome from the Celtics followers after which forgets easy methods to play basketball.
Sam Hauser vs Matas BuzelisBuzelis is averaging 15.2 factors, 5.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 blocks per recreation whereas taking pictures 47.4% from the sphere and 37.0% from past the arc. Within the first 2 video games towards the Celtics, he averaged 20 factors, 5.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1 block whereas taking pictures 56% from the sphere and 50% from past the arc. The Celtics have to defend him nicely as he can get sizzling and put up factors shortly.Honorable MentionPayton Pritchard vs Collin SextonSexton is a key participant off the bench for the Bulls as Pritchard is vital for the Celtics off the bench. Sexton is averaging 14.4 factors, 2.0 rebounds, and three.7 assists per recreation whereas taking pictures 48.2% from the sphere and 38.3% from past the arc. He’s coming off a recreation the place he completed with 21 factors, 5 rebounds, 1 help and 1 steal whereas taking pictures 38.9% from the sphere and 25% from past the arc. Pritchard struggled in Sunday’s recreation and he not often struggles 2 video games in a row.
Keys to the GameDefense – Protection is at all times a key to successful. The Celtics are tenth within the league with a defensive score of 112.7. The Bulls are twenty sixth with a defensive score of 117.4. The Bulls are nineteenth with an offensive score of 113.6 whereas the Celtics are 2nd with an offensive score of 120.0. The Celtics have to get a robust defensive effort from each participant on the courtroom and they should make protection a precedence for all 48 minutes with no slacking off. The Celtics want to protect the three level line because the Bulls try 40.1 threes per recreation (seventh) they usually make 14.7 threes per recreation (seventh). The Celtics additionally have to defend the Bulls within the paint as they’re fifth with 52.6 factors within the paint per recreation.
Rebound – The Celtics should field out and crash the boards. They’ll’t rating with out the ball and it’ll take further effort on their half to beat the Bulls on the boards. The Celtics are averaging 45.4 rebounds per recreation, which is eighth within the league. The Bulls are averaging 44.9 rebounds per recreation, which is eleventh. The Celtics should put out extra effort to get to the rebounds earlier than the Bulls and provides themselves further possessions and restrict these possessions for the Bulls.Don’t Underestimate – The Bulls have a number of new faces on their staff and are engaged on constructing chemistry with their new gamers. In addition they will possible be lacking 5 gamers and have misplaced their final 5 video games and eight of their final 10 video games. Nonetheless, the Celtics can’t underestimate them and count on to come back into the sport and coast to a win. They should Play laborious and keep centered and never count on to win with out placing within the effort.
Three Level Capturing – The Celtics typically shoot 3s at a historic fee however there are occasions when their photographs simply aren’t falling, like towards the Knicks on Sunday. In that recreation, the Celtics shot simply 7-41 (17%) from past the arc. The Celtics are 2nd within the league, taking 43.1 threes per recreation. The Bulls are seventh, taking 40.1 threes per recreation. The Celtics have to deal with taking good photographs and they should transfer the ball in order to get open photographs. If the 3s aren’t falling, as they weren’t on Sunday, they should get to the basket or take mid-range photographs.
X-FactorsBounce Again at House – The Celtics are at residence and can have the gang behind them to offer them further motivation. That is the ultimate recreation earlier than the All Star break and the Celtics ought to need to go into the break with a win to bounce again from that horrible recreation towards the Knicks . 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 courtroom.
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 occasions they may allow them to play and let the sport get bodily. Generally they may favor one staff over the opposite and different occasions they may name it even. Generally they’re simply dangerous. The Celtics want to regulate to the best way the sport known as and never let missed calls or dangerous calls have an effect on their focus. If the calls go towards them, they simply have to play tougher to make up for them and never waste time arguing with the officers.
