The Chicago Bulls already handed the Celtics a blowout loss this season.
Can they do it again on national television?
Game Info
Chicago Bulls (5-4) at Boston Celtics (4-3) – 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN (TV), and 670 The Score (Radio)
Projected Starters
Chicago Bulls
1. Ayo Dosunmu
2. Zach LaVine
3. DeMar DeRozan
4. Patrick Williams
5. Nikola Vucevic
Injury Report: Lonzo Ball OUT (knee), Andre Drummond OUT (shoulder), Coby White OUT (quad)
Boston Celtics
1. Derrick White
2. Marcus Smart
3. Jaylen Brown
4. Jayson Tatum
5. Al Horford
Injury Report: Robert Williams OUT (knee), Danilo Gallinari OUT (knee)
Odds
The Bulls walk into tonight as +7.0 underdogs against the Celtics at PointsBet Illinois Sportsbook and at the FanDuel Illinois Sportsbook. Click on either link to sign up and pick the Bulls to cover (… or pick the opposite …)!
What to Watch For …
While the Chicago Bulls were able to hold Boston to a surprising 37.0 percent shooting performance from the field, they did allow them to sink 18 shots from long range compared to their 10. Considering it’s hard to imagine the Celtics shooting that poorly again, it will be pivotal for the Bulls to ensure that they can keep up from behind the arc.
One big reason the Bulls were able to erase a 19-point deficit and ultimately take a double-digit lead was because of the free-throw line. Chicago put relentless pressure at the rim at went 26-29 from the charity stripe compared to the Celtics’ 10-12 performance. LaVine, Vucevic, and DeRozan all shot at least five attempts, and there is a good chance that can happen again tonight with Boston’s primary rim protector off the floor.
Boston is a deep team, and the Bulls will need their bench to replicate some of the success we saw in their matchup with the Hornets to steal another win. Javonte Green and Goran Dragic may not have to combine for 33 points, but hitting a few 3s and minimizing mistakes could go a long way.
A flip may have switched for Patrick Williams. Over the past two games, Williams has scored a combined 28 points with 12 rebounds on 63.2 percent shooting from the field. He’ll need to keep this up to make me believe he’s officially turned a corner, but there is no question he looks far more understanding of how to get involved than ever before.
More in here …
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