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| Everyone is going to have to chip in on the boards tonight. |
The Celtics (12-11) had a chance to show to people that they have turned the corner and that they aren't a .500 team. They had a tough challenge in front of them as they played two of the top three offenses in the game in Houston and San Antonio, so wins against those two on the road would have changed many people's outlook on the Celtics. Unfortunately, as been the case for most of the year, the Celtics failed and have left many people wondering just how good this team will be. They will try and right the ship tonight as they travel to Chicago for the second time this season to take on the Bulls (13-10).
The Bulls are coming off a tough loss last night at the hands of the Memphis Grizzlies, 80-71. Even without their All-Star point guard and former MVP Derrick Rose, the Bulls have somehow found a way to still remain competitive. Their defense -- as would be the case with any defense under the helm of defensive guru Tom Thibodeau -- is allowing the second-fewest points per game at 90.4. Their 13-10 record has them a half-game up on the Milwaukee Bucks for the lead in the Central Division.
When these two squared off in the United Center just over a month ago, the Celtics led by as many as 13. However, following in the same pattern they've made for themselves all year, the Celtics let Chicago back in the game, and the Bulls made a furious run and almost pulled it out. In the end, the Celtics held on, 101-95.
That game wasn't easy. And even though Chicago played last night, tonight's game still won't be easy. Hell, no game this season has been easy. As Kevin Garnett would say, "It's what it is."
Here's a preview:
Projected lineups:
Celtics:
Rajon Rondo
Courtney Lee
Paul Pierce
Brandon Bass
Kevin Garnett
Bulls:
Kirk Hinrich
Marco Belinelli
Luol Deng
Carlos Boozer
Joakim Noah
Keys to the game:
1. Get on the boards: I feel like a broken record every time I say that. But, when you're the worst rebounding team in the league, it has to be said. That's especially true for tonight's game because Chicago is the seventh-best rebounding team in the NBA. It's a mentality that each guy has to have. Each player has to drill it into his head that he needs to chip in on the glass (more so defensively than offensively).
2. Starting out strong: The Celtics need to do a much better job of starting games. They started out by sleep-walking through the first frame in Houston and allowing 27 points. They followed that up by allowing the Spurs to score 26 in the first on the very next night. Over their last three games, the C's are allowing an average of 26.0 points in the first quarter. They need to bring their A-game defensively tonight right from the start. Chicago may be a bit tired tonight, so getting the ball in the bucket may be a problem. Moreover, Chicago is 27th in the league in points per game at 92.5, so points may be even harder to come by for them, so the Celtics need to capitalize on that. However, they have the best first-quarter defense in the NBA, allowing only 21.9 points in the quarter. Over their last three contests, they are the third-best in that category, but only allowing an average of 19.7 in their last three first quarters. An intense, focused effort is needed for the first 12 minutes. Jeff Van Gundy always believed that whoever wins the first quarter will probably win the game. The Celtics need that mentality.
3. Capitalize on Chicago's mistakes: Chicago is turnover-prone. They turned the ball over 16 times last night leading to 13 Memphis points. They had 14 turnovers when they last played the Celtics, and they are eighth in the league in turnovers per game, a pretty high rate for a Tom Thibodeau coached team. Regardless, the Celtics need to capitalize on Chicago's turnovers. They need to run the fastbreak when they get steals, and they need to get as many easy baskets as they can, especially against a defense as good as Chicago's.
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