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Chicago Bulls (3-0) at Boston Celtics (2-1)
Wednesday, November 2, 2016
8:00 PM ET
Game #4, Home Game #2
TV: ESPN, CSNNE, WGN
Radio: 98.5 Sports Hub
TD Garden
Probable Starting Matchups Point Guard
vs
Isaiah Thomas vs Rajon Rondo
Shooting Guard 
vs
Avery Bradley vs Dwyane Wade
Small Forward 
vs
Jae Crowder vs Jimmy Butler
Power Forward 
vs
Al Horford vs Taj Gibson
Center 
vs
Amir Johnson vs Robin Lopez
ReservesMarcus Smart
Jaylen Brown
Gerald Green
Demetrius Jackson
Jonas Jerebko
Jordan Mickey
Terry Rozier
James Young
Tyler Zeller
InjuriesKelly Olynyk (shoulder) out
Avery Bradley (shoulder) game time decision
Al Horford (illness) game time decision
Head CoachBrad Stevens
ReservesIsaiah Canaan
Christiano Felicio
Jerian Grant
Nikola Mirotic
Bobby Portis
Denzel Valentine
Paul Zipser
RJ Hunter
Injuries Michael Carter-Williams (knee) out
Doug McDermott (concussion) game time decision
Head Coach Fred Hoiberg
Game Notes The Celtics face the Bulls just a week after they last met. This time they are in the Celtics home TD Garden and the Celtics will be well rested, rather than coming off of a game the night before. The Celtics won both games in Boston last year, but as we saw in the first game, this is a very different team.
The Celtics should be helped by the return of their bulldog, Marcus Smart, who is expected to make his debut in this game. However, there are also a couple of question marks for them. Avery Bradley missed practice on Tuesday with a sore shoulder, the same shoulder that he had surgery on in July of 2012. The shoulder has been bothering him since training camp, but it was worse on Tuesday. He is listed as a game time decision.
Al Horford also left practice with an illness and is listed as a game time decision as well. For the Bulls, Doug McDermott has a concussion and will be a game time decision. Michael Carter-Williams left the Bulls game on Monday with a bone bruise on his knee and will miss this game.
The Bulls last played on Monday when they opened their road trip in Brooklyn with a 118-88 roomp over the Brooklyn Nets. The Celtics last played on Saturday when they beat the Hornets in Charlotte 104-98. They had an off day on Sunday and two days of practice so they should be well rested. Hopefully they won't be rusty from all the rest.
The Bulls are undefeated while the Celtics only loss was at the hands of these same Chicago Bulls and so the Celtics need to come out focused and avenge that loss. The first game against the Bulls was on TNT and this one will be on ESPN. Unfortunately the Celtics will once again face National TV Rondo. He has always seemed to play his best when the national TV cameras are on him.
Key Matchups vs
Isaiah Thomas vs Rajon Rondo
Rondo is excited about being in Chicago and playing with Wade and Butler, even though for years he couldn't say enough about how dirty Dwyane Wade was.The three have been playing well together. Rondo had 4 points on 1 of 9 shooting and 6 rebounds and 9 assists in their first meeting. He is averaging 6.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 8.7 assists. He is also still very fast and when he feels like it, can still play good defense.
vs
Avery Bradley vs Dwyane Wade
Wade had a big game in their first meeting with 22 points including 4 three pointers when he hit just 7 threes all last season. He also had 6 rebounds and 5 assists. For the season he is averaging 16 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists. Avery usually gives Wade trouble on defense, and hopefully he will be able to play in this one.
vs
Jae Crowder vs Jimmy Butler
The Bulls resident star is Jimmy Butler. There were a lot of trade rumors swirling around him over the summer with many of them involving the Celtics. He even spent some time working out with Celtics rookie Jaylen Brown over the summer. Now Jaylen will join Jae in trying to keep Butler from having a big game. Butler had 24 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists in the last meeting between these two teams. He is averaging 20.7 points, 6 rebounds and 2.7 assists for the season.
Keys to the Game Defense - It goes without saying that defense wins games and the Celtics must play tough team defense. The Bulls scored 105 points in the first meeting between these two teams but they are averaging 113.7 points per game. The Celtics can't get into a high scoring game with the Bulls. They have to clamp down on defense and stop the Bulls from scoring.
Rebound - The Celtics can't score if they don't have the ball. Much of rebounding is effort and desire and so the Celtics must put out the extra effort on the boards to give themselves extra possessions as well as to limit the Bulls fast break opportunities and second chance points. In the first meeting between these two teams the Celtics were out-rebounded 55 to 36. The Celtics will have to put out more effort and do better on the boards, especially the bigs.
Run and Move the Ball - The Celtics play best when they run on every possession and run back on defense to get set before the Bulls can get into their offense. They also need to move the ball because when the ball sticks too much with one player then the offense gets stagnant. They looked stuck in sand in the last game and were a step behind all game.
Be Aggressive - The Celtics must be aggressive on both ends of the court. They have to be the more aggressive team going for loose balls, on defense, on the boards, and in going to the hoop. They have to be the more aggressive team if they want to win. They have to play like they want it more for 48 minutes.
Be Smart on Offense - The Celtics need to move the ball to find the open man for easier shots. They have to take open shots when they get them and not be too unselfish. They also need to know that if their 3's aren't falling, they should take the ball inside.
X-FactorsRust vs Rest and Who's Playing The Celtics have been off since Saturday and that means they will be well rested. But it also means they may have some rust as well. Hopefully they will be ready to play without the rust.
The Celtics have two starters who may be a game time decision with Avery Bradley nursing a sore shoulder and Al Horford leaving practice with an illness. If either or both of them can't play or are less than 100%, it will make it much harder for the Celtics to get a win.
Topic: Bulls (3-0) at Celtics (2-1) Game #4 11/2/16 (Read 42537 times)