Bulls visit Celtics at TD Garden in Monday night test
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- Chicago visit Boston on Monday night at TD Garden. Tip-off is 7:30 pm Eastern Time, or 6:30 pm Central Time.
- Chicago shoot just 22.6 percent from three-point range. That mark is the lowest in the NBA this season.
- Boston beat New York 107-103 in their last game. Jayson Tatum scored 36 points in that win.
The Chicago Bulls visit the Boston Celtics on Monday night. The game tips off at 7:30 pm Eastern Time at TD Garden in Boston. Boston want a second straight win, while Chicago want to bounce back from a loss.
Search interest in this game has jumped in the United States. Google Trends shows about 20,000 searches for the matchup in the past day. It is the first meeting of the season between the two Eastern Conference teams.
What happened
Boston enter the game with a 1-1 record. Chicago enter with a 1-2 record. The game is the fourth of the season for Chicago and the third for Boston.
Fans in Chicago can watch on Chicago Sports Network. Fans in Boston can watch on NBC Sports Boston. Pregame coverage in Boston starts at 6:30 pm Eastern Time.
Chicago lost their last game 124-120 to Washington. That loss came in their home opener. Boston won their last game 107-103 over New York.
That win came after Boston lost their season opener.
The confirmed starters for Chicago are Josh Giddey and Norman Powell. Matas Buzelis and Caleb Wilson also start. Jalen Smith starts at center for Chicago.
The confirmed starters for Boston are Derrick White and Jordan Walsh. Jayson Tatum and Paul George also start. Mitchell Robinson starts at center for Boston.
Why it matters
The biggest gap in this game is three-point shooting. Chicago make just 22.6 percent of their three-point shots. That is the worst mark in the NBA so far this season.
Chicago still take plenty of threes. They average 41.3 three-point attempts per game. Against Washington, they made only 12 of 43 threes.
That poor shooting helped turn a close game into a loss.
Boston shoot far better from deep. Boston shot 39.5 percent from three across their first two games. They took 42 threes against Detroit and 39 against New York.
If Boston defend the arc well, Chicago must find other ways to score.
Turnovers could also decide the game. Boston won the turnover battle in each of their first two games. They forced Detroit and New York into 16 or more turnovers each.
Boston scored 40 points off turnovers across those two games.
Chicago have not handled ball pressure well this season. They also lack depth in ball handling. If Chicago give the ball away often, Boston will get easy points.
That is a bad mix against a team that punish mistakes.
Pace is the third key factor. Chicago play faster than almost any team in the league. Boston play at a slower pace.
Chicago are at their best in transition, when they run after a stop. Boston prefer a slower half-court game built on screens and pick-and-roll plays.
If Chicago push the pace early, the game could stay close. If Boston slow the game down, their talent edge should show. The team that controls tempo will have a big edge.
The key battles
Rookie Caleb Wilson is the player to watch for Chicago. Wilson scored 30 points and grabbed 14 rebounds against Washington. He did that in just his third NBA game.
He also had zero turnovers in that game.
Wilson still struggles from deep, though. He made only one of his nine three-point tries against Washington. Boston will test him by forcing him to shoot from outside.
If Wilson scores inside, Chicago stay in the game.
Jayson Tatum is the player to watch for Boston. Tatum scored 36 points against New York. He also had 9 rebounds and 7 assists in that win.
Boston won two of three games against Chicago last season without Tatum. With Tatum back, Boston look stronger.
Mitchell Robinson also matters for Boston. Robinson had a loud fourth-quarter stretch against New York. He blocked a shot and then scored on a lob dunk.
That stretch helped Boston build a lead they kept. Robinson finished that game with 4 points and 4 rebounds in 22 minutes.
Injury news also shapes this game. Chicago will miss Nic Claxton, who is out with a hamstring injury. Patrick Williams is questionable with a groin injury.
Noa Essengue is cleared to play after a minor head injury. Essengue missed the Washington game with that injury.
Boston will miss Devin Carter, who is out with an illness. No other Boston starter is on the injury list. That gives Boston a cleaner bill of health than Chicago.
What happens next
The same two teams meet again on Friday night. That game is also at TD Garden in Boston. Chicago will stay in Boston for that rematch.
The Friday game gives Chicago a fast chance at revenge.
For Chicago, the next stretch is tough. Sports Illustrated call the next ten games daunting for the young team. A win in Boston would change the mood fast.
A loss would leave Chicago at 1-3 with more hard games ahead.
For Boston, a win would mean a 2-1 start. It would also mean two straight wins after the opening loss. Boston have shown they can win close games late.
Tatum closed out the New York win with big shots down the stretch.
Rive News also covers other basketball games this week. Read about the WNBA Finals Game 6 move to State Farm Arena. See also a preseason win for Minnesota.
And read about an overtime win for Oklahoma City.
The Bulls know what they must fix. They must protect the ball and make more threes. They must also run when they get the chance.
The Celtics know their own task too. They must force turnovers and contest every three. The team that does its job better on Monday night will leave TD Garden with the win.
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