Win or lose … just play a full 48 minutes, please.
Broadcast Info
Chicago Bulls at Boston Celtics – 6:30 p.m. CT, NBC Sports Chicago, 670 The Score (audio)
Chicago Bulls
Projected Starters:
1. Coby White
2. Garrett Temple
3. Patrick Williams
4. Thaddeus Young
5. Nikola Vucevic
Injury Report: Zach LaVine OUT (NBA Protocol)
Boston Celtics
Projected Starters:
1. Marcus Smart
2. Jaylen Brown
3. Semi Ojeleye
4. Jayson Tatum
5. Tristian Thompson
Injury Report: Evan Fournier OUT (NBA Protocol), Robert Williams OUT (knee), Kemba Walker OUT (illness)
What to Watch For …
• No Walker tonight takes one explosive scoring option off the table, but this battle should remain just as tough for the Bulls with Tatum and Brown expected to be a full go. Chicago will really need their frontcourt duo of Daniel Theis and Nikola Vucevic to provide the spark on both ends of the floor, especially with Celtics’ top rim-protector Robert Williams out of the lineup. The Celtics have been one of the better teams at keeping teams out of the paint (5th-fewest opponent PITP), but the absence of Williams should hurt them in that department.
Kemba Walker out, Marcus Smart ‘likely’ to play vs. Bulls, per Celtics coach Brad Stevens
— Rob Schaefer (@rob_schaef) April 19, 2021
• Lauri Markkanen is coming off his best performance in six games after giving the Bulls 16 points and 6 rebounds off the bench. The big man hit a massively clutch three at the end of the 4th quarter as head coach Billy Donovan gave him the closing nod for the first time in quite some time. If the Bulls want to stay relevant in the play-in tournament race, Markkanen will have to continue on this track.
• Daniel Theis revenge game!
• Oh … crap … Luke Kornet revenge game?
• Patrick Williams scored in double-figures for the first time since April 8th in Saturday’s win over the Cavaliers. While it wasn’t exactly the kind of offensive aggressiveness we want to see from him, it was surely a step in the right direction. Let’s hope he can find a way to build off that showing in tonight’s contest.
• Some more thoughts in here …
Good News, Bad News, a Sense of Urgency, Theis Revenge Game? And Other Bulls Noteshttps://t.co/N29ZN5ZJBf
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) April 19, 2021
Get Caught Up …
Bulls Weekly Preview: Celtics, Cavaliers, Hornets, Heat – April 12-24, 2021https://t.co/tS4yVYAu67
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) April 19, 2021
Daniel Theis said being traded from the Celtics to the Bulls at the trade deadline caught him off guard.
Now he's preparing for his first crack at his old team, in what he says will be a weird, but special, reunion (via @rob_schaef)https://t.co/Bpr0NW6Iaj
— Bulls Talk (@NBCSBulls) April 19, 2021
Thad from the logo! @yungsmoove21 pic.twitter.com/ApczZmWw7L
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) April 19, 2021
Happy One Year Anniversary to The Last Dance!https://t.co/qbTXspg9CR pic.twitter.com/s3nYzTSX6O
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) April 19, 2021