This Friday, the (5-4) Chicago Bulls will travel to Boston, MA to take on the (4-3) Boston Celtics. Tipoff will be at 7:30 PM EST inside TD Garden. Both of these teams have stars littered throughout their rosters, as I am expecting a battle in this one!
The Chicago Bulls are coming into this game after taking down the Charlotte Hornets, 106-88. The Bulls looked spectacular on both ends of the floor, as they continued to make shots and they were contesting everything the Hornets put up. They will need to replicate that performance if they want to challenge the Celtics on the road.
The Boston Celtics are entering this game after falling to the Cleveland Cavaliers, 114-113 in overtime. This was the Celtics' third loss in the last four games, as they have started to slide in the wrong direction. They will look to pick up momentum against the Bulls in this one.
This game wa s written/published before last night's results.
The Chicago Bulls are currently in 6th place in the Eastern Conference standings, as they have started this season strong. They will now need to consistently pick up wins if they want to scratch their way into the postseason. On offense, the Bulls are scoring 111.4 points per game and they are shooting 44.9% from the floor. This is the 22nd least amount of points scored per game and the 25th-highest team shooting percentage. They have struggled from the floor, but they are taking enough shot attempts to stay competitive. According to dunksandthrees.com, the Bulls have the 22nd lowest adjusted offensive rating, as they have continued to miss open shots. Luckily, they have been much better from behind the arc, as they are shooting 37.8% from deep. This is the 10th-highest three-point shooting percentage in the league. The Bulls have also taken advantage of their attempts at the charity stripe, as they are shooting 85% from the line. This is t he third-best free throw shooting percentage in the NBA, as they haven't allowed these points to go to waste. DeMar DeRozan continues to lead the way for the Bulls, as he is averaging 23.3 points per game on 48.3% shooting.
On defense, the Bulls have also been great. They are surrendering 108.8 points per game and they are only allowing their opponents to shoot 46.9% from the floor. This is the sixth least amount of points given up per game, but the 20th-highest field goal percentage allowed. According to dunksandthrees.com, the Bulls have an adjusted defensive rating of 108.2, which is the fifth-best in the NBA. Scoring on the Bulls has not been easy, as they continue to contest shots near the rim. They are allowing their opponents to shoot 40.3% from deep, which is the 26th-highest percentage surrendered. They're allowing their opponents to get clean looks from behind the three-point line, and this has continued to hurt them. Chicago is also snatchin g 44.4 rebounds per game, which is the 17th most in the NBA. They have to secure the ball if they want to keep the Celtics from scoring second-chance points.
Injury Report: Coby White (Quadricep) and Andre Drummond (Knee) are listed as questionable. Lonzo Ball (Knee) is out.
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