Bulls (1-0) at Celtics (2-0)

[FLCeltsFan]

  at 
Chicago Bulls (1-0) at Boston Celtics (2-0)
Friday, October 30
8:00 PM ET
Game 3, Home Game 2
TV:  ESPN, CSN HD, WGN
TD Banknorth Garden 


Probable Starting Matchups
Point Guard
vs
Rajon Rondo  vs  Derrick Rose

Shooting Guard
  vs 
Ray Allen vs John Salmons   

Small Forward
vs 
Paul Pierce vs Luol Deng

Power Forward
  vs 
Kevin Garnett vs Tyrus Thomas 

Center
vs 
Kendrick Perkins vs Joakim Noah 


Coach: Doc Rivers
Average Age: 27.8
Average Height: 6-6
Average Weight: 224

Reserves
Rasheed Wallace
Marquis Daniels
Eddie House
Shelden Williams
Lester Hudson
JR Giddens

Injuries
Tony Allen (ankle) out
Bill Walker (knee) out
Brian Scalabrine (ankle) day to day
Big Baby Davis (thumb) out




Coach: Vinny Del NegroAverage Age: 27.1
Average Height: 6-7
Average Weight: 225

Reserves
Taj Gibson
Kirk Hinrich
Lindsey Hunter 
James Johnson
Brad Miller
Jannero Pargo

Injuries
Aaron Grey (fibula) out
Jerome James (achilles)  out 

Key Matchups 
vs
Rajon Rondo vs Derrick Rose
This will be a matchup of 2 young and exciting point guards.  When last these two met, it was game 7 of the opening round of the playoffs.  In that series, as the point guard went, so went the games.  The more aggressive point guard won the games in that series and that will probably hold true in this one as well. 

vs
Paul Pierce vs Luol Deng
Luol Deng guards Paul Pierce as well as almost anyone in the league.  His length seems to bother Pierce and he has struggled against him in the past.   Unlike in the past, when Deng bothers him on defense, Pierce can just pass off to one of his waiting teammates. 

vs 
Kendrick Perkins vs Joakim Noah
These two got into it a couple of times in the playoffs.  Noah has to be one of the most irritating players in the league and he tends to get under his defenders' skin.  With Perk's weight loss over the summer, he should be better able to stay with Noah. 

Team Connections
Celtics Assistant Coach Clifford Ray played for the Bulls from 1971-7
Paul Pierce and Kirk Hinrich are former Kansas Jayhawks
Tyrus Thomas and Glen Davis were teammates at Louisiana State
Taj Gibson and Brian Scalabrine are former USC Trojans
Lindsey Hunter and Rasheed Wallace were teammates with the Detroit Pistons from 2003-08
Brad Miller and John Salmons were teammates with Shelden
Williams in Sacramento during the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons.

Game Notes: 
Celtics won the season series 2-1 against Chicago in 2008-09
 Paul Pierce led the Celtics with 22.3 points per game last season
 In his one appearance for the Bulls against the C’s, John Salmons netted 38 points
It marked the second straight season that the C’s had won the season series and the first time since the 85-86 and 86-87 seasons that they had
done so
The Celtics are leading the all-time series 107-84 with the Celtics 60-31 at home

The Bulls are playing in the second of back to back games.  They faced the Spurs at home on Thursday and beat them 92-85.  Some are expecting the Spurs to challenge the Lakers in the West, but they didn't look all that special against the Bulls.  On the other hand, the Bulls looked pretty good.  The Bulls are a young team and so fatigue shouldn't be too much of a factor. 

The Bulls remember all too well their 7 game series with the Celtics and they feel that they should have won it.   Noah said that he has had this game circled since the schedule came out.  I'm sure Brad Miller remember Rondo every time he looks at the scars that Rondo left.  The refs need to keep a close eye on things in this game or it could get out of hand quickly. 

The Marquis Daniels/Eddie House point guard experiment may be challenged against the Bulls.  With Kirk Hinrich coming off the bench, Quisy and Eddie will have their hands full on both ends of the court. 

Keys to the Game
Defense - Defense is the key to every game this season.  It is one thing locking down the Bobcats and another thing entirely to lock down the Bulls.  Hopefully, the Celtics defense will once again prove to be the difference maker in the game.

Home Court - The Celtics home court should give them an advantage in this one. 

Keep Cool - The Bulls have a way of getting under players skins.  This could be a physical game and we have some very combustible players.   They need to keep their cool and not let the Bulls goad them into technical fouls. 

[Donoghus]

I really, really, really hate the Bulls.

Catching them at a good time.  Back end of a back to back.  I know they gave us fits last year but let's see how they can handle the "healthy & reloaded" Celtics.

I'm expecting a competitive one tomorrow night.  Obviously, looking forward to the Rose/Rondo matchup but also interested in the KG/Thomas matchup.  Two very athletic and versatile PFs going at it.  Should be a good one.

[Atzar]

I'll be at the game.  Really looking forward to this one.

TP FL!

GO C'S!!!

[Neurotic Guy]

I really, really, really hate the Bulls.

Catching them at a good time.  Back end of a back to back.  I know they gave us fits last year but let's see how they can handle the "healthy & reloaded" Celtics.

I'm expecting a competitive one tomorrow night.  Obviously, looking forward to the Rose/Rondo matchup but also interested in the KG/Thomas matchup.  Two very athletic and versatile PFs going at it.  Should be a good one.

The C's add Kevin Garnett, Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels to the team that beat them six months ago.  Sounds good to me.

[RebusRankin]

I think our bench is the difference. Should be a good one.

[Bahku]

I think we'll trounce them ... seriously, they have a good team and gave us a hard time last year, but we didn't have the depth we do now, or the match-ups. I'm lovin' our chances! Go Celts!

[Celtic]

Three in a row, here we go!

[PosImpos]

We should beat them, but they just beat the Spurs.  This team can beat us, for sure.

It'll be a tough game.

[moiso]

I think I need a reality check because I kind of expect the Celts to crush everyone right now.  The Lakers seem like a good matchup, but other than that, I expect to romp.

[mgent]

I really, really, really hate the Bulls.

Catching them at a good time.  Back end of a back to back.  I know they gave us fits last year but let's see how they can handle the "healthy & reloaded" Celtics.

I'm expecting a competitive one tomorrow night.  Obviously, looking forward to the Rose/Rondo matchup but also interested in the KG/Thomas matchup.  Two very athletic and versatile PFs going at it.  Should be a good one.

The C's add Kevin Garnett, Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels to the team that beat them six months ago.  Sounds good to me.

With Ben Gordon.

[j804]

[JBcat]

I'm looking forward to the Deng/PP matchup as well as the Rondo/Rose one.  Deng has given Paul troubles before in the past.   Don't sleep on Salmons either.  Should be a good game. 

[ACF]

Three in a row, here we go!

I've been looking forward to your little game thread rhymes 

TP and TP for FL.

Go Celts!

[Atzar]

The Bulls worry me a little bit because we don't have a single matchup that we can exploit - if anything, we are just marginally better at each position.  Paul has problems with Deng.  Salmons can score with Allen.  KG doesn't look to score enough to take advantage of Tyrus.  Perk and Noah aren't scorers.  Rondo and Rose can't stop each other.  Quisy = Hinrich.

Hopefully Sheed can torch Brad Miller, because that's the only clear mismatch I see... everything else is slight.

[xmuscularghandix]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5VUiIO-ue4

Get em RR.