The Celtics Seem Destined For The 2021 Play-In Tournament & Frankly They Deserve To Be There

    I have lived long enough to have seen plenty of terrible Celtics teams so while this season's edition is nowhere close to the worst record-wise, they have to be the softest of any that I can remember. No matter how seemingly hopeless their opponent is, Boston can still find a way to not only lose to them but get blown out. This evening at the United Center, the Bulls (28-39 overall, 13-20 home) swept the season series with the Celtics (35-32 overall, 14-19 away) thanks to a breeze of a 121-99 victory. As always, two of Boston's top players were out: Jaylen Brown (ankle) and Robert Williams (turf toe?) missed the game but that is still no excuse for suffering the millionth embarrassing loss of this cursed season to a non-playoff club. It was a very costly loss for the C's too since coupled with Miami's (36-31) 121-112 win vs. Minnesota (20-47), it dropped Boston down to seventh-place (aka the start of the Play-In tournament range) in the Eastern Conference. 

    Chicago is in 11th place in the East but they look like a playoff team when they have run into the Celtics this season. Center Nikola Vucevic had a triple-double with 18 points, 14 rebounds, 10 assists and two steals while point guard Coby White (25 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists) and shooting guard Zach LaVine (25 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals) combined for 50 points. Our old German friend Daniel Theis added nine points and eight rebounds for the Bulls. In terms of margin of defeat, this was the biggest road loss of the season for the Celtics and they really drove that point home as they got outscored in every single quarter. Boston's point guard Kemba Walker had a game-high and completely useless 33 points while swingman Evan Fournier added 17 points and six rebounds in the depressing no-show. 

    There are only five games left in the regular season for the C's and their next two-both at TD Garden vs. the Heat-will go a long way to determining whether they have to slum it at the Play-In Tournament or they can sneak by and grab anywhere from the fourth to the sixth seed. The two most important contests of the year are Sunday afternoon (1, ABC) and Tuesday (7:30, NBC Sports Boston) against Miami who is .500 (16-16) on the road this season. Thanks to a postponed game, the only time that the Celtics and Heat have met this season was more than four months ago: a 107-105 road win by the Celts in Miami on January 6. I can't recall much from that matchup but looking back at it now, it was without a doubt one of Boston's best wins of the season. The Heat have been very up and down all season, much like the Celtics but as long as Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro are all healthy and playing, it's hard to pick Boston over the team that wiped the floor with them in the Eastern Conference Final last season at the Orlando bubble.

The Celtics' Six-Game Winning Streak Ends With A Whimper As They Fell 102-96 To The Lowly Bulls

 

    The Celtics (31-27 overall, 18-11 home) had been playing so well lately-winning their last six games in a row-that we all started to forget the earlier problems that plagued them for much of this lackluster season. Unfortunately, their lack of depth, costly turnovers and brutal third quarters all came back in spades tonight at the TD Garden as they lost 102-96 to the Bulls (24-33 overall, 13-15 away). Swingman Evan Fournier (health and safety protocol) and center Robert Williams (left knee soreness) remained out for the C's while they were joined on the sidelines by guards Kemba Walker and Marcus Smart who both were out with illness (not Covid-19, apparently). Even with all those guys not playing, the Celtics should have still beaten a team that is clinging to 10th-place in the Eastern Conference and the final play-in spot. 

    Center Nikola Vucevic (game-high 29 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals) was probably the best player to be moved at the trade deadline this year and he's shown no signs of slowing down since coming to Chicago from Orlando. Point guard Coby White added 19 points and seven assists while journeyman Garrett Temple scored 13 points (I can just hear Charles Barkley saying his name during Inside The NBA's hilarious "Who He Play For?" segment) and veteran big man Thaddeus Young added 13 points and two steals off the bench. Finally, former Celtic Daniel Theis (6 points and 6 rebounds in 29 minutes) was pretty quiet in his first return to the Garden. As you can imagine, it was a mixed bag for the Celts as shooting guard Jaylen Brown led the way with 23 points while swingman Jayson Tatum followed up his 44-point explosion in Saturday's heart-pounding win vs. Golden State (29-29) with his first career triple-double (14 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists). The only issue with Tatum's game was that he shot 3-of-17 from the field which seems impossible for a player with his immense skills. Center Tristan Thompson added 11 points and five rebounds while spot starting rookie point guard Payton Pritchard tossed in 14 points.

    It wasn't going to be pretty but Boston was in decent shape as they led 30-24 after the first quarter but both teams went ice cold in the second quarter which resulted in a 48-42 halftime advantage for the C's. The Bulls woke up in the third quarter, outscoring the Celtics by a wide margin-32-18. Boston rallied in the fourth quarter a bit (30-28) but it just wasn't enough. Chicago had three times as many offensive rebounds (9-3) which resulted in 14 more second chance points (18-4). The Bulls also recorded nine more assists (30-21), four times as many blocks (8-2) and three less turnovers (15-12) than the careless Celtics.

    For the first time in over a month-which is truly insane-the Celts have two days between now and their next game on Thursday (7, NBC Sports Boston) at the Garden against the Suns (41-16 overall, 18-7 road). Future Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul has helped Phoenix exceed expectations in a major way, they have not only the second-best record in the Western Conference but in the whole league. The only other time that these clubs met this season was on Super Bowl Sunday (February 7) in Phoenix, won 100-91 by the home team. For once, the C's will be rested while the Suns figure to be tired after playing at Philadelphia (39-18)-still the top team in the East-on Wednesday night. Dare I say it could be an NBA Finals preview for this summer? Haha yeah right, that's not happening. 

Evan Fournier & Mo Wagner Become Celtics While Daniel Theis, Jeff Teague & Javonte Green Are Out

 

    The NBA trade deadline came and went this afternoon with the Celtics (21-23) involved in two deals: they traded guard Jeff Teague and a pair of second-round draft picks to Orlando for French swingman Evan Fournier; they were also part of a three-way trade with center Daniel Theis and guard Javonte Green going to Chicago while power forward Mo Wagner (traded earlier in the day from Washington) and center Luke Kornet also came to Boston. Out of all these names, the only ones that really matter are Fournier and Theis. The rest are all guys that will either sit on various benches, be bought out or won't be in the league in a year or two.  

    Celts GM Danny Ainge was reportedly interested in Magic power forward Aaron Gordon but they lost out on him (of course) as he was sent to Denver in a separate deal so they settled for the consolation prize in Fournier. He was drafted by the Nuggets in 2012 (20th overall) and played there for two years before being traded to Orlando where he's played for the past seven seasons. I certainly have heard of him and have seen him plenty of times in games against the Celtics but with so few national TV games or playoff appearances, I'm not going to claim to be an expert on his game. 

    For his career, he has averaged 14.4 points per game, 37.6% on 3-pointers and 80.6% on free throws. He was obviously gunning for a big contract headed into free agency this summer as he is averaging the most points (19.7 per game) and the most assists (3.7 per game) in his career. At 6-foot-7 and a slim 205 pounds, he appears to slot in as a shooting guard or small forward depending on the lineup that Boston head coach Brad Stevens wants to employ. He's been a starter for basically the past six years with the Magic but then again, he's almost never been on a good team (not that the Celtics could be considered one either at the moment) so it'll be interesting to see what role he gets.

    It's sad to see Theis go, especially since his last moment as a Celtic was missing a game-winning 3-pointer last night against the Bucks (29-14). He will never be the biggest guy but as an undrafted free agent from Germany, he got better every year in his four seasons with Boston. He has averaged a career-best 9.5 points per game and 5.2 rebounds this season. He was a likable guy and easy to root for, hopefully he doesn't get lost in the shuffle with the Bulls (19-24) who have been rebuilding for years. For a guy that nobody knew a thing about when he signed with the C's, he had plenty of nice moments in big games including the playoffs. 

Tatum Returns & C's Easily Take The Second Game Of A Back-To-Back, Winning 119-103 At Chicago

   Let's be honest: there are so many bad teams currently in the NBA. I suppose that the same thing could be said about any of the other top professional sports leagues in the U.S. but it feels even more pronounced now with so many blowouts and utterly predictable results early on in this pandemic-infested season. Boston (10-6 overall, 5-4 away) got a gift from the scheduling gods this evening as they visited Chicago (7-10 overall, 2-5 home) at the United Center. The fact that the Celts had played last night in Boston (granted it was a joke against Cleveland) hardly mattered as they dominated the awful home team 119-103. The outcome was never really in doubt as Boston led basically from start to finish and pushed their advantage to as high as 22 points before cruising to another easy win. Star Jayson Tatum was back from his Covid-19 enforced two-week plus vacation and he looked fresh as lettuce with 24 points and five assists. 

    Guard Jaylen Brown (team-high 26 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals) continues to play the best basketball of his brief NBA career while point guard Marcus Smart (13 points, 11 assists, 2 steals) had a double-double in place of a resting Kemba Walker (knee), center Daniel Theis (19 points, 3 steals, 3 blocks) played well once again and power forward Tristan Thompson grabbed 10 rebounds in only 17 minutes of action. Nobody scored in double-figures from Boston's bench but five guys posted at least six points: rookie Aaron Nesmith is finding his stroke as he canned three more 3-pointers, power forward Grant Williams and point guard Jeff Teague both scored eight points and finally guards Carsen Edwards and Javante Green each added six points apiece.

    My man Bulls head coach (and fellow PC alum) Billy Donovan has his work cut out for him trying to turn that franchise back into a winner after years of mediocrity. Shooting guard Zach LaVine (game-high 30 points, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks) is the new Devin Booker: a guy putting up huge but empty numbers on a doormat team. My favorite Finnish basketball player (who knew that was a thing?) Lauri Markkanen scored 18 points and had six rebounds but Chicago's other three starters combined for seven total points. Not great! Power forward Thaddeus Young (16 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists) barely missed out on a triple-double and small forward Otto Porter Jr. (13 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks) also had a positive impact off the bench for the Bulls. 

    The Celtics displayed no obvious signs of fatigue by jumping ahead 33-25 after the first quarter and never looking back. They were up 60-50 at halftime and 91-76 going into the fourth quarter. Boston mixed a good shooting night from the field (50.6%-46.6%) with an aggressiveness that we'd love to see from them a bit more often. They attempted twice as many free throws as the Bulls (20-10) and hit four times as many (16-4) which when you think about it is a very rare feat in today's crooked NBA. The C's have been noticeably solid lately on defensive rebounds (38-32) and they had five more steals (9-4) and six less turnovers (18-12) which propelled them to 16 more points off turnovers (35-19) than hapless Chicago. 

The two-game road trip should get at least a little more interesting on Wednesday (8:30, NBC Sports Boston) as the Celts pay their only visit of the season to the Spurs (9-8) at the AT&T Center. If Kemba plays against San Antonio-which I fully expect that he will-we could finally get our first glimpse of this Celtics team at full speed with their entire roster healthy and on the court together in this campaign. Boston's first meeting with the Lakers (14-4) happens on Saturday night (8:30, ABC) at TD Garden. I mention that so you won't be shocked if the C's are caught looking ahead a bit.

Celtics & Bulls Do Their Part To Set Basketball Back 20 Years

The events at TD Garden tonight, surely caused Dr. James Naismith to roll over in his grave (wherever that is located). The less said about Boston's (28-24, 20-9 home) 71-69 win over Chicago (30-22, 15-10 away) the better. The C's head into the All-Star break having won eight of their last nine games and playing their best basketball of the season despite suffering three major injuries in the last three weeks.

To give you a taste for how ugly this was, the Celts had 19 points combined in the second and third quarters but yet they still found a way to come out on top. As befitting a slopfest like that, Brandon Bass (14 points, 9 rebounds) was the game's high-scorer. Kevin Garnett had 12 points and 11 rebounds, Avery Bradley scored 10 points and Jason Terry notched 12 points off the bench.

Carlos Boozer (11 points, 11 rebounds) and Joakim Noah (10 points, 16 rebounds) were forces on the glass as usual but without Derrick Rose, the Bulls struggle to put the ball in the hoop: they are 27th in the NBA, averaging 93.6 points per game. Marco Belinelli scored 12 points off the bench and Jimmy Butler added 11 points and six rebounds.

Showing how tight the season series (2-2) was, the four games were decided by six points, 11 points, one point and two points. A return date in the postseason seems likely for these two similar squads.

With no Rondo, only KG will head to Houston this weekend for the All-Star Game. The rest of the Celtics get a much-needed break. They are off until next Tuesday when they begin a season-high five game road trip in Denver (9 p.m., CSN). Boston seems to always struggle on the West Coast but let me say on the record that they don't exactly face a murderer's row from the superior Western Conference: Nuggets, Lakers, Suns, Blazers and Jazz. Only Denver and Utah are over .500 and expected to make the playoffs this season. A 3-2 mark would be fine by me, considering how tough it is to win in Denver and Utah.

UPDATE 2/18: The Celtics signed former lottery pick Terrence Williams (2009, 11th overall pick by the Nets) to a 10-day contract. Most recently, he was playing in China after flaming out in New Jersey, Houston, Detroit and Sacramento. The former Louisville swingman has never really made an impression in the NBA after a solid collegiate career. He's worth a shot for the C's who just need healthy bodies at this point.

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The Bulls Are Still Not Scared Of The Celtics

As a Celtics fan, you'd have to be insane to want to see the Bulls this spring in the playoffs. They are so tough, unselfish, they play great defense and rebound well which equals just an awful matchup for the C's, even without Derrick Rose (who has yet to play this season).

The Bulls (23-15, 12-5 away) outlasted the Celtics (20-19, 13-8 home) 100-99 in overtime tonight at TD Garden as Marco Belinelli (10 points) hit a mid-range jumper with three seconds left. Courtney Lee (7 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals) understandably rushed 3-pointer which was way off as Chicago escaped with a wild victory.

Boston had multiple chances to win it but they couldn't hang on up 88-85 with 12 seconds left in regulation. The Celts fouled Kirk Hinrich (8 points, 5 assists) so he couldn't take a 3-pointer. That sound strategy looked smart when he missed one of two free throws. Unfortunately, Paul Pierce (13 points, 6 rebounds) later got trapped in the corner and a jump ball was called. The Bulls won that then raced down the court with Hinrich swishing the tying jumper with two seconds left.

In overtime, Jason Terry (9 points) hit a jumper of his own to put the C's up 99-98 with 12 seconds left. Rajon Rondo (30 points, 7 assists, 2 steals) fouled out earlier in overtime on a bogus call when Hinrich appeared to push him into Jimmy Butler's (13 points) knee.

UConn's Richard Hamilton led a balanced attack for the Bulls with 20 points. Carlos Boozer added 19 points and 20 rebounds, Joakim Noah had 14 points and 13 rebounds while former Celtic Nate Robinson scored 11 points off the bench.

Rondo scoring that many points is usually not a good thing as the rest of the Celtics weren't nearly as effective offensively. Kevin Garnett had 16 points and seven rebounds while Brandon Bass added 10 points (seems like the first time in weeks that he's been in double figures).

When you look at the numbers, it's surprising that the C's made it that close. Chicago shot 6.2% better from the field (48-41.2%), hit two more 3-pointers (5-3), three more free throws (23-20) and handed out six more assists (21-15). Boston stayed in it since the Bulls had 10 more turnovers (21-11), the Celtics tallied six more steals (10-4), 12 more fast break points (14-2) and eight more points in the paint (46-38).

In the worst timing for a game all season as far as we're concerned, the Celtics visit the Pistons (14-25, 4th in Central Division) on Sunday night (7:30 p.m., CSN). Set your DVRs or just flip over during the numerous commercials on CBS when you're watching Patriots-Ravens.

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It's Time To Face Facts: The Celtics Are Not A Good Team At The Moment

I guess we should be happy that the Celtics are returning home tomorrow morning (they had issues with their charter, forcing them to spend an extra night in the Windy City). Their 3-game road trip couldn't have gone much worse (barring injuries) as they went 0-3, capped off by a listless 100-89 loss to the Bulls tonight at the United Center. Joakim Noah (11 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists, 3 blocks) recorded his second career triple-double in the victory.

Don't be fooled by the final score, Chicago (14-10, 8-6 home) was up by 20 (95-75) in the fourth quarter before Boston (12-12, 4-8 away) made it closer than it actually was. Would you believe that this is officially the Celtics' worst start since 2006-07 aka before Kevin Garnett (10 points, 8 rebounds) came here?

You have to give Boston credit for one thing after their losses in Houston, San Antonio and Chicago: they were very consistent as they scored 88 or 89 points each time and allowed 100-103 points. Rajon Rondo (26 points, 8 assists) wasn't the issue as he played very well. Paul Pierce had 16 points and Courtney Lee added 14 points. That was it though, nobody else did anything.

Chicago had six guys in double-figures plus their bench outscored Boston's 37-16. Carlos Boozer had 21 points and 12 rebounds while Luol Deng also notched 21 points. Marco Belinelli scored 10 points with former Celtic Nate Robinson (18 points) and Taj Gibson (13 points, 5 rebounds) coming up huge off the bench for Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau-a Salem State alum and former Celtics assistant coach.

The Bulls outscored the Celtics in all four quarters. It was 28-23 Chicago after one quarter and 55-48 at halftime. The Bulls led 79-70 heading into the fourth before the wheels really came off for Boston.

Almost all the statistics favored the home team. Chicago shot 50% to 43.2% for Boston. The Bulls hit seven more free throws (21-14) and grabbed eight more rebounds (43-35) with 10 more assists (28-18), eight more blocks (10-2) and 12 more points in the paint (48-36). The Celtics had three more steals (7-4) and eight more fast break points (14-6).

Boston plays Cleveland (5-21, 5th in Central Division) tomorrow night at TD Garden (7:30 p.m., CSN). The Cavaliers shouldn't have any sort of advantage since they played at home tonight and lost to the Raptors 113-99. The team might be terrible but Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters are an excellent young backcourt while Anderson Varejao is playing at an All-Star level. The C's should win but it's not a gimme by any stretch, particularly with the way they stumbled this past week.

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Celtics Record Their First Quality Win Of 2012-13 Regular Season

Well that was more like it. In their seventh game of the 2012-13 regular season, the Celtics finally decided to show up and display some of the traits that make them one of the teams to beat in the Eastern Conference. Boston (4-3, 3-1 away) held off Chicago (4-3, 3-3 home) 101-95 tonight at United Center.

In getting over .500 for the first time, the Celts also notched a victory against a legitimate playoff team. This wasn't the Wizards or Bucks, the Bulls aren't a title contender without Derrick Rose in the lineup but they are still pretty damn tough to play against.

Rajon Rondo (20 points, 10 assists, 9 rebounds, 5 steals) just missed out on a triple-double but he continued his double-digit assist streak (31 games and counting, 3rd longest in NBA history). All five Celtics starters were in double figures and their bench outscored Chicago's 27-18, something they've struggled with in this young season. Brandon Bass had 16 points, Kevin Garnett scored 15, Jason Terry added 13 and Paul Pierce notched 10.

I officially dub Luol Deng (game-high 26 points, 11 rebounds) and Joakim Noah (17 points, 11 rebounds) Celtics killers, assuming I hadn't done that already. It seems like they always have great games when they face Boston. Carlos Boozer had 15 points and former Celtics guard Nate Robinson put up 11 points and seven rebounds filling in for Rose and Kirk Hinrich, who got hurt over the weekend.

Boston shot 50.6% to 45.9% for Chicago. The Bulls made eight more free throws (24-16) but at least the Celts hit all their free throws, four costly misses down the stretch in the fourth killed Chicago. You'd expect the Bulls to have more rebounds (40-34) but the C's had four more assists (28-24), four more blocks (5-1) and three more steals (9-6) so there. Most telling, Tom Thibodeau's team had six more turnovers (14-8).

The Celtics jumped out to a 33-27 lead after one quarter and a 58-46 halftime advantage (their second largest margin of the season). Both teams scored 24 in the third quarter and Chicago made it interesting in the fourth (25-19) but they couldn't complete the rally.

Boston returns home for one game: they host Al Jefferson and the Jazz (4-4) on Wednesday night (7:30 p.m, CSN). Utah beat Toronto 140-133 tonight in triple overtime, no joke. Hopefully, they will be a bit fatigued from that insane contest as the Celtics shoot for their first three-game win streak of the season.

UPDATE 11/14: Rookie forward Kris Joseph and rookie center Fab Melo were sent to the Portland Red Claws today, Boston's D-League team. They have just opened training camp and it makes perfect sense since Melo has yet to play for the C's in the regular season and Joseph played once (for three minutes). They need to play a ton of minutes and that won't happen anytime soon with the Celtics.

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As Brian Scalabrine Has Proven, You Can Always Come Home

Ever since he played for five glorious seasons in Boston (2005-10), Brian Scalabrine has been a cult hero in this city the likes of which I can't even compare him to. For whatever reason-being white, a ginger and terrible at basketball-everybody loves the guy and is obsessed with him to a creepy level. True story, I went to a Celtics-Bulls game two years ago and he got a bigger ovation that Chicago head coach Tom Thibodeau, who was a huge part of the Celtics' title in 2010 as an assistant.

His career arc takes a predictable path as it looks like he'll be a color commentator for Comcast New England this season during Celtics games according to Yahoo! Sports. You could see the wheels in motion on this move last spring since Scal joined Comcast New England as a sideline reporter during the Celtics' unexpected playoff run to the Eastern Conference Finals against Miami.

Mike Gorman (play-by-play) and Tommy Heinsohn (color commentator) are beloved in New England and rightfully so, they are broadcasting icons that truly enhance the experience of watching Celtics games. No matter if its an intense playoff game or a dull December contest against the Raptors, they always deliver the goods. Adding a younger dynamic in a guy that not only played in the NBA but in Boston very recently (making him comfortable with the players and coaches) made this hire a no-brainer.

The interesting part is that Scal apparently turned down an assistant coaching job with the Bulls to take this. I can't say I blame him, who wants to work like a dog for no money or glory behind the scenes whereas you can cover a few games a week, still live your life (somewhat) and have fun. Plus, you will receive way more attention which ultimately is what it is all about for most people.

I expect more good things from Scal as he gets further entrenched with Mike and Tommy. Things weren't always smooth in the postseason with him aboard but he is definitely a breath of fresh air compared to that clown Donny Marshall. He is smart, funny and clearly doesn't take himself too seriously. Most important, he's very knowledgeable about the game and NBA so he can provide insights that others simply cannot at this juncture.

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Rose-Less Bulls Slide Past Weary Celtics

Even without MVP Derrick Rose (who missed his 12th straight game with a groin injury, 22nd overall this season), the Chicago Bulls are a more than formidable opponent.

The Boston Celtics (30-24, 11-15 away) surprisingly jumped out to a 49-38 halftime lead but the Bulls (43-13, 22-6 home) eventually wore them down and won 93-86 at the United Center this evening.

With the victory, Chicago clinched the season series (3-1) as well.

Similar to last night's loss to the Spurs, the Celts played terrible but also pretty good for alternating periods of time. Unfortunately the final result was the same as they dropped back-to-back games against the Western Conference's second-best team and the Eastern Conference's best team respectively.

Luol Deng is a nightmare to guard for anybody and he proved it with a game-high 26 points, six rebounds and four steals. Joakim Noah had 17 points, nine rebounds and three blocks while Carlos Boozer had 12 points and 14 rebounds. Starting for Rose, C.J. Watson notched 15 points and eight assists.

Paul Pierce led the Green and White with 22 points and eight rebounds. Kevin Garnett had 12 points and 14 rebounds. Both guys had decent numbers but they combined to shoot 13 of 37 from the floor, proof that they experienced tired legs. Not making an excuse, just stating a fact. Rajon Rondo had 10 points and 12 assists and Avery Bradley put up nine points as he was reinserted into the starting lineup. Ray Allen (14 points) played much better tonight than against San Antonio as he came off the bench but still played big minutes.

No shock that a Tom Thibodeau coached team won all the hustle plays. Chicago hit seven more free throws (22-15), grabbed eight more rebounds (44-36 including 14-7 offensive) and blocked six more shots (8-2).

Ever since they met in the playoffs three years ago (where does the time go?), the Bulls have always been an awful matchup for the Celtics and it's only gotten worse as Rose has developed along with his supporting cast and their role players. That's why it's so important that Boston stays in the No. 3-6 spot in the East, so they don't have to face Chicago or Miami in the first round.

Boston flies to Indiana for a meeting with the Pacers on Saturday night. Boston is 1-2 against Indiana this season, although they won the last one (94-87 on January 24 at the Garden). The Pacers are still holding strong to the third seed in the Eastern Conference.

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If You Like Basketball, You Have To Respect The Chicago Bulls

I have to give props to the Chicago Bulls, they are one solid NBA team.

After losing 95-91 at TD Garden on Sunday afternoon (Rajon Rondo's monster triple-double being the main reason), Chicago returned the favor to Boston by winning 89-80 tonight at the United Center.

The Bulls (25-7) improved to 11-1 at home while the Celtics (15-14) fell closer to the .500 mark. Boston began its five game road trip with a thud since predictably, they didn't have their legs after their pathetic loss to the Pistons last night. The Celts are 4-6 on the road.

Despite having the reigning MVP Derrick Rose, the Bulls are about much more than him. They're long, they play outstanding defense, they're tough, unselfish and smart. Rose sat out against the Celtics again but this time his absence didn't matter since Carlos Boozer (23 points, 15 rebounds, 5 assists), Luol Deng (23 points, 10 assists) and Joakim Noah (15 points, 16 rebounds) all put up double-doubles.

C.J. Watson was the only other Bull in double figures with 11 points while former Celtic Mike James (just signed to a 10-day contract) had eight points off the bench.

Rondo (17 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds) was back to his best role: facilitator. It wasn't enough though since only Kevin Garnett (18 points, 10 rebounds) had what could be called a good performance after he sat out against Detroit. Paul Pierce (14 points, 6 of 16 shooting) and Ray Allen (12 points, 4 of 13 shooting) could never get into a rhythm other than Allen's flurry of 3s in the third quarter.

The only other bright spot for the C's was Chris Wilcox (9 points), who is really developing a chemistry with Rondo. They seem to team up on multiple alley oops every game now.

It was a strange contest as the teams went back and forth, playing well or terrible in consecutive frames. Boston led 24-16 after the first but Chicago took a 44-35 halftime lead after a miserable second for the Celtics. The Bulls increased the lead to as much as 16 but the Celts rallied and cut it to 60-59 heading into the fourth. Then they ran out of gas as usual.

A couple statistics jump off the screen: the Bulls hit seven more 3s (10-3), they pulled down 15 more rebounds (52-37 including 10 more offensive boards) and they handed out 12 more assists (27-15) which is wild considering Rose sat. So how did Boston make it somewhat close? Chicago had nine more turnovers (16-7).

These teams close out their four-game regular season series with another TNT Thursday night matchup on April 5. Boston must do everything in their power to avoid the No. 7 or 8 seed since they'll be virtually guaranteed to face the Heat or Bulls, the two Eastern Conference teams they simply cannot beat under any circumstances in a playoff series.

Boston travels to Detroit for a Sunday night game against the Pistons. The Celts will be looking for revenge after their embarrassing 98-88 loss to Detroit last night on their home parquet.

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Ice Cube Thought Rajon Rondo Had A "Good Day"

I will freely admit that I'm just about the biggest Felger and Mazz honk that you'll find in New England. I have listened to their show since the Sports Hub was created and I try my best to have it on as much as possible from 2-6 p.m. Monday-Friday. I almost always agree with Felger and Mazz about basically everything Boston sports related but I feel like they're dead wrong on one thing at the moment: Rajon Rondo.

While they want to run Rondo out of town and trade him for Pau Gasol or somebody else, I'm content with watching Boston's current best player and also the future of the franchise.

This afternoon, Rondo turned in his 15th career triple-double (including playoffs) with 32 points, 15 assists (including 2 back-to-back sick alley oops) and 10 rebounds as the Celtics (15-12) picked up their biggest win of the season, 95-91 at TD Garden against the NBA's best team, the Chicago Bulls (23-7).

It was a far cry from Boston's no show loss on Friday in Toronto and it snapped a two-game losing streak for the Green. Chicago had come in on a five-game winning streak of its own.

The win comes with an MVP award shaped asterisk since Bulls guard Derrick Rose sat out with back spasms. I'm also not blind to the fact that Rondo still can't shoot jumpers consistently or hit free throws (although he was 10 for 13 today including 4 for 4 late in the 4th quarter).

His game will never be clean like Chris Paul's or Deron Williams' but his unique skill set is a perfect fit for this team; yes we overhype him because he's one of ours but I think it's silly to think that point guards like Rondo are easy to find. That's why you have to build around him through free agency and trades after this season.

Kevin Garnett added 13 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks, Chris Wilcox (staring for the injured Jermaine O'Neal) had 11 points and nine rebounds, Ray Allen scored 11 points and Paul Pierce had nine points.

Other than Rondo's transcendent game, the thing I take away from this one is JaJuan Johnson. In his most extensive playing time in his NBA career (33 minutes), the rookie from Purdue proved that he's not shy about shooting (6 for 13 from the floor) as he had a career-high 12 points.

The immortal C.J. Watson led the Bulls with 22 points and six assists he started for Rose. Carlos Boozer (22 points, 7 rebounds) only plays on one end of the floor (offense) but he does it well. Joakim Noah had 16 points and nine rebounds while first-time All-Star Luol Deng (10 points) was neutralized.

The Celtics led 28-23 after the first quarter and 48-43 at halftime. Boston was up 72-66 heading into the fourth but it took them almost the entire frame to shake the Bulls.

Since former Celtics assistant Tom Thibodeau (a Salem State alum!) took over the Bills, Chicago has always owned the C's. They play solid defense, they're big and they control the paint. When Rose is healthy, I give them a slight edge over the Heat since Miami still has no depth and LeBron poops his pants in every fourth quarter.

Boston shot much better (49.3-38.6%) but Chicago hit twice as many 3-pointers (6-3). The Celts had a season-high nine blocks while the Bulls only had two. Boston had five more turnovers (18-13) but they ran much more (33-7 fast break points).

Today's win evened up the season series at 1-1. They'll play twice more, both in Chicago, including on Thursday which is basically guaranteed to be a Bulls win if Rose suits up.

Bad news on the injury front: while Keyon Dooling and Avery Bradley played in this game, Brandon Bass didn't and he'll reportedly miss 10-14 days with knee inflammation which is never a good thing. He's been Boston's best bench player so that's a big loss for however long he's out.

The Celts get a few days off before they host one of the NBA's bottom feeders, the Detroit Pistons, on Wednesday. Boston picked up its first win of the season back on Dec. 30 when they rolled 96-85 over the Pistons. Since the C's just lost to the Raptors, I won't say a loss to the Pistons is impossible but it's not likely.

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This Is Only Going To Get Worse: Celts Lose Their 3rd Straight, Season Slipping Away

I pride myself on not being a typical honk that overreacts to every game and move by my favorite teams. Therefore, you have to believe me when I say "Blow it up Danny Ainge! Trade anybody but Rajon Rondo."

How are you enjoying your Boston Celtics experience in 2011-12 thus far, pretty terrible right? The C's (4-6) lost their third straight game tonight (all at home), 88-79 to the Chicago Bulls (11-2) at TD Garden.

Spare me the excuses that the Celtics and their apologists are already trotting out about it will take some time to get it together, short training camp, new faces, etc. Last time I checked, everyone had the same condensed offseason. Plus, it's a shorter season so bad starts are only magnified and more dire if you're unlucky enough to experience them.

Reigning MVP Derrick Rose had 25 points and seven assists but his supporting cast was equally impressive: all scored in double figures. Luol Deng had 21 points and 16 rebounds, Carlos Boozer and Ronnie Brewer added 12 points apiece and Joakim Noah had 10 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks.

Like the Celtics of a few seasons ago, the Bulls are a championship contender because they play such great team defense (thanks Tom Thibodeau-greatest Salem State alum of all-time). They hit the glass hard and don't allow second chance opportunities, making it hard for teams that don't shoot well to beat them on most nights.

Ray Allen led the Celtics with a quiet 16 points while Rajon Rondo had 14 points, 11 assists, seven rebounds and four steals. Paul Pierce had another bad shooting night (3 of 12) so he was held to 13 points. Finally, Brandon Bass had 10 points and nine rebounds as he was a late addition to the starting lineup. Who needs a center?

It's tough to choose where to begin when diagnosing Boston's issues. Clearly, they're way too old since they've only scored 100+ points three times so far this season. Most troubling, they've been held to under 80 in two of the last three losses. When you watch the games, you feel bad for Rondo because he has no teammates that can really keep up with him.

There's no shame in losing to the class of the Eastern Conference and one of the best teams in the NBA but the Celts aren't giving themselves a chance as they routinely start off games ice cold which results in double-digit first half deficits. Boston was down 20 (61-41 in the third quarter) but cut it down to one (67-66 after a Mickael Pietrus 3-pointer) in the fourth before predictably folding since they were so gassed from the big comeback.

Things are looking so bleak that even CSNE's Tommy Heinsohn sounded like he was on the verge of suicide in the first half when Boston trailed 26-13 (really) after the first quarter and 52-30 at halftime. When he can't be positive with his shamrock green colored glasses on, there's no hope for the rest of us.

The Bulls seem to put it on cruise control in the third quarter and to the Celtics' credit, they made it a game by playing well in that frame (26-15). Some careless turnovers by Chicago led to some runouts which is when Rondo is at his best.

Chicago closed it out in the fourth (21-20) to earn the NBA's top overall record and best mark on the road (7-2).

When you look at the box score, it's no surprise that Chicago won since they were better in almost every category that matters. The Bulls shot 4% better from the floor (45.3-41.3%), hit five more free throws (16-11), grabbed 12 more rebounds (46-34) and blocked three more shots (6-3).

I want to be positive but I just don't know how the Celtics are going to turn it around in the next few days or big picture, this entire season which I'm already getting sick of.

They travel to Indiana tomorrow night to face the Pacers, who won in Boston last Friday, before returning home on Monday to face the Oklahoma City Thunder-for my money the best team in the Western Conference. So yeah, get ready for a five-game losing streak. Ugh.

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Who is going to stop the D Rose and the Chicago Bulls?

It had been a long time (January 8) since the Boston Celtics had played the Chicago Bulls.

I knew Derrick Rose was playing at an MVP level and the Bulls were on fire but it was another thing to see them up close last night.

Let me say this: after watching Chicago (58-20) roll to a 97-81 win over the Celts (54-24) at the United Center, you have to say that without question, Chicago is the team to beat in the Eastern Conference.

Hell maybe even the NBA. I know the Lakers always sleepwalk through the end of the regular season and then turn it on in the playoffs but damn, Rose (30 points, 8 assists) and the Bulls are playing awesome.

Basically Chicago seems like a younger, better version of the Celtics. They play outstanding defense, they're deep, they have a great coach (who knows everything about Boston) and most importantly, they employ Rose.

Nobody makes Rajon Rondo (7 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds) look as bad as Derrick Rose does. His combination of size, speed and toughness is too much for Rondo to handle. There was some And-1 mixtape highlights last night as a couple times, Rose isolated on Rondo and blew by him with a filthy crossover. He still can't really shoot 3-pointers (2 for 5) but he hits his free throws (10 for 10) so Rose's game has never been at a higher level.

Luol Deng added 23 points for Chicago while Carlos Boozer had 14 points and 12 rebounds.

Nobody on the Celtics had what you'd term a good game. Paul Pierce led Boston with 15 measly points, Kevin Garnett had 10 points and 10 rebounds and Jeff Green scored 10 points off the bench.

The good news is that should the seedings hold, Boston and Chicago wouldn't meet until the Eastern Conference Finals. Still, last night should make all the Green teamers tremble in fear when they hear about the Bulls and Rose.

Chicago led 26-18 after the first quarter and 48-43 at halftime. The Bulls started to pull away in the third (23-17) before taking it in the fourth (26-21).

The Bulls shot 47.4% to 38.4% for the Celtics. Chicago hit seven more 3-pointers (9-2) but Boston made nine more free throws (23-14). The Bulls pulled down nine more rebounds (44-35) and had seven more assists (21-14) and six more steals (9-3). Chicago made two more blocks (5-3) and most impressively, doubled up Boston in the paint (44-22).

Boston returns to TD Garden tonight to face the Washington Wizards. Last time these teams met, Washington shocked Boston in our nation's capital. It'll be interesting to see if Boston is into this game at all. They still have the No. 2 seed to play for but they could also mail it in while they wait for Miami on Sunday.

D Rose owns Chi-Town, you already know

Once again, I didn't see much of the Boston Celtics' game last night in Chicago but like the Bruins I saw all I needed to in the few chosen moments I switched over during the Jets-Colts game. There was no need to watch the dud game on DVR late at night afterwards.

Derrick Rose had a game-high 36 points while Chicago beat the Celts 90-79 at the United Center.

The Bulls' (24-12) hometown boy got to the line for 19 free throws and Boston (28-8) shot bricks (37.8%) all night long to ensure a nice night for Chicago head coach Tom Thibodeau and Brian Scalabrine.

Carlos Boozer added 22 points and 10 rebounds while Ronnie Brewer had 10 points and Luol Deng notched nine points, nine rebounds and five assists.

Paul Pierce led the Cs with 21 points, Ray Allen had 19 points, Rajon Rondo notched 13 points, eight assists, five rebounds and five steals. Glen Davis added 11 points.

Chicago led 22-21 after one quarter and 46-42 at halftime. The Celts outscored Chicago 22-21 in the third quarter but the Bulls took care of business in the fourth (23-15).

The Bulls shot 49.2%, the Celtics hit two more 3-pointers (5-3), Chicago hit seven more free throws (25-18; they attempted 13 more: 35-22) and pulled down a ridiculous 21 more rebounds (48-27). Chicago had four more assists (16-12) but Boston made seven more steals (12-5). The Bulls had four more blocks (9-5) and the Celts were only hanging around because Chicago had 13 more turnovers (21-8).

Boston hosts the Houston Rockets tomorrow night at the TD Garden, a team that without the oft-injured Yao Ming is lacking direction.

Celtics win sixth straight, over the pesky Bulls

Coming into the 2010-2011 season, nobody and I mean nobody could have expected Kevin Garnett to be playing at the level that he is right now.

KG is 34-years-old and after limping through last season following knee surgery, he looked like a shell of his former self that was on a real downslope near the end of his career.

You can put off writing your KG obituary just yet, the dude can still ball. Last night he helped the Boston Celtics beat the Chicago Bulls 104-92 at the TD Garden.

It was the second time Tom Thibodeau and Brian Scalabrine returned and this time, the Celts (15-4) were able to get it done in regulation.

Garnett (20 points, 17 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals) and Rajon Rondo (12 points, 19 assists, 6 rebounds, 3 steals) were the main ingredients in Boston's sixth straight triumph.

Paul Pierce added 18 points, Ray Allen chipped in 14 points and Shaquille O'Neal rounded out this balanced attack with 12 points.

Derrick Rose led Chicago (9-8) with 20 points and eight assists. Luol Deng had 15 points, Joakhim Noah added 14 points and 10 rebounds while Carlos Boozer (12 points) and Taj Gibson (10 points) also reached double figures.

Boston led 31-19 after the first quarter and 53-48 at halftime. However, just like whenever they play the Atlanta Hawks, the Bulls matchup so well with the Celtics that you never really feel comfortable until the game is over.

A strong third quarter by the Celts (29-22) helped them survive a not so great fourth (25-22 Bulls).

For the game, Boston shot 53.1% to Chicago's 41.9%. The Bulls made five 3-pointers to just one for the Celtics. Chicago made eight more free throws (25-17) but Boston had 10 more free throws (44-34) and 11 more assists (29-18). The Cs also had three more steals (7-4) and two more blocks (4-2). Finally, they continued their positive trend of owning the paint, outscoring Chicago 56-40 inside.

Boston will look to keep up the win streak as they go to New Jersey tomorrow afternoon to face the still miserable Nets.

Only in Boston would Brian Scalabrine get a standing ovation

At a jaded 27 years old, it takes a lot to surprise me these days. However, I was at the Celtics-Bulls game last night at the TD Garden and I have to say that I was shocked at what I heard from the Massholes around me.

Former Celtics assistant coach Tom Thibodeau was back in town for the first time as Chicago's head coach. Along with him was former Celtics joker Brian Scalabrine. Naturally, when they were both introduced on the HD scoreboard with tribute videos, Thibodeau didn't get much of a reaction (even though he deserved it, since he was the defensive mastermind of the last couple seasons) while Scal (one of the most useless players in the NBA, albeit a funny, self-aware one) received a standing ovation.

Yikes. I guess all you can say is the the pink hats that have taken over Red Sox games at Fenway Park, have found their way to the Garden when the weather gets cold. I don't think it was about being ironic too, no, no, people genuinely thought Scal deserved the applause. Is this real life?

Anyways, it was a hell of a game as the Celts (5-1) won 110-105 in overtime.

Much like the Hawks, the Bulls (2-3) are one of those teams that for whatever reason, matches up well with the C's. Surprisingly, it wasn't even all about Derrick Rose (18 points, 9 assists) although he had his highlights. Joakim Noah had a game-high 26 points and 12 rebounds. Luol Deng added 20 points and six rebounds while Taj Gibson notched 18 points and seven rebounds.

Ray Allen led Boston with 25 points, including a rare dunk in OT. Kevin Garnett added 16 points and 10 rebounds, Jermaine O'Neal scored 12 points, Rajon Rondo had 10 points and 11 assists while Paul Pierce was off all night with 10 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

The bench was the story though for the C's as Glen Davis (15 points), Marquis Daniels (13 points) and Nate Robinson (7 points) outscored Chicago's bench 37-19.

The Bulls led 23-19 after an ugly first quarter but the Celtics exploded in the second quarter (30-15) for a 49-38 lead. Boston increased their lead up to 16 in the third quarter before the inevitable Bulls run (26-23 Chicago third quarter). It seemed like Chicago couldn't miss in the fourth quarter (32-24) and as a result, it went to overtime. The Bulls actually had the ball on the last possession with a chance to win it but Rondo knocked it away from Rose.

Boston goes to Oklahoma City tomorrow night, the tough start of a four-game road trip.

Who needs the third seed?

In a season that looks more and more doomed by the minute, the Boston Celtics went into last night (game 81) with a mathematical shot at the number 3 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Of course, they had to win their last two games and the Atlanta Hawks would have to lose their final two games making it an unlikely scenario. Therefore we should be thankful that the Celts (50-31) took any intrigue out of it by losing 101-93 to the Chicago Bulls (40-41) last night at the United Center.

The Bulls had to win last night and tonight to get into the playoffs so needless to say that they came to play. Well, Derrick Rose (career-high 39 points and 7 assists) and Kirk Hinrich (season-high 30 points) showed up at least. Joakim Noah added nine points and 16 rebounds.

Paul Pierce scored 28 points and Ray Allen notched 25 points in the loss. Kevin Garnett was the only other player on either side with double figures, 14 points and nine rebounds. Rajon Rondo was completely owned by Rose as he had just four points and six assists in 37 minutes.

Boston hung around for most of the fourth quarter until Hinrich drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key and a jumper which he got open for by upfaking Nate Robinson out of the Windy City.

The C's end the regular season tonight back at home against the Milwaukee Bucks with the number four seed firmly locked up. Anyone of significance (ie. the Big Three, Perk and Rondo) should not play more than 25 minutes. The game means something to the Bucks since it's yet to be determined if Boston will play the Miami Heat or Milwaukee in the first round.

I don't really have a preference. With Andrew Bogut, the Bucks would be a legitimate threat to beat the Celts. Without him, I don't think they can win more than two games. The Heat have Dwyane Wade, who is one of the NBA's best (and most protected), but little else.

As erratic as Boston has been, I don't think they could choke against either of those middling teams. However, they're playing on borrowed time since it seems extremely unlikely that they could beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round. If this season has taught us anything, it's don't take anything for granted so I won't worry about LeBron until the C's are safely out of the first round.

Life without KG and Sheed is not fun

Pick an excuse: the Celts played the Bulls last night without Kevin Garnett or Rasheed Wallace and it was the sixth game in nine nights for Boston.

Whatever the reason, the Bulls (who had been blown out in their previous two meetings this season) looked like the team that gave the Celtics so much trouble in the first round of the playoffs last spring as they won 96-83 at the TD Garden.

Luol Deng scored a game-high 25 points, Derrick Rose added 17 points and eight rebounds while the world's ugliest man Joakim Noah posted 15 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks.

Rookie Taj Gibson played well for Chicago (17-20) notching 14 points and six rebounds and Kirk Hinrich scored 11.

Boston (27-11) got a very quiet 20 points, eight rebounds and six assists from Paul Pierce and 14 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks by Kendrick Perkins but nobody else (save for 11 points by Eddie House off the bench) bothered to show up for an obviously tired C's team.

The Bulls are certainly not as good as the Hawks but they fit the young, athletic team mold that is so clearly Boston's kryptonite.

Chicago jumped out to a 29-18 lead after the first quarter and 47-39 at the half and the C's could never really make a definitive run in the second half. Boston outscored Chicago 24-23 in the third quarter but the Bulls closed with a 26-20 fourth.

Missing 13 free throws (15 for 28) especially for a veteran team that normally shoots so well is inexcusable for the C's. Predictably the Bulls owned them on the glass (50-39) and had five more blocks (10-5).

Thankfully the Celts have a few days to relax at home as they prepare for the Mavericks, the second best team in the Western Conference (still frauds), who come to the Garden on Monday night.

Never leave the House

It took seven excruciating games but the Boston Celtics finally subdued the Chicago Bulls last night at the Garden, 109-99, to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals.

After a classic series, Game 7 probably won't be remembered for much more than the final result. The Celtics' much-maligned bench finally showed up, outscoring Chicago's bench 30-25.

Eddie House had by far his best game of the playoffs so far. House was 5-for-5 on 3-pointers and 4-for-4 from the line for 16 points with three steals, two assists and two rebounds.

Brian Scalabrine helped Boston's key 22-2 run in the second quarter that gave the C's the lead for the rest of the game. Scal had eight points in the game and three boards. Even Mikki Moore made a quick appearance and scored four points.

Ben Gordon led the Bulls with a game-high 33 points but he was 7-for-23 from the floor and 15-for-15 from the line. Derrick Rose added 18 points, Kirk Hinrich had 16 points and John Salmons notched 12 points.

Other than the solid bench play, another reason the Celts prevailed was because they kept the Bulls' big men in check. Joakim Noah had seven points and 15 rebounds and Brad Miller was held to nine points and seven boards.

None of the Celtics' starting five went off but they each did something well. Ray Allen led Boston with 23 points and seven rebounds. Paul Pierce added 20 points and nine rebounds. Glen Davis posted 15 points and Kendrick Perkins added another double-double: 14 points, 13 rebounds. Rajon Rondo's worst game of the series was probably game 7: seven points, 11 assists, five rebounds but it didn't matter.

Chicago got off to a hot start as they led 28-23 after the first quarter. Boston used its best quarter of the series to take command. They outscored the Bulls 29-11 in the second. True to form over the last two weeks, the Bulls fought back in the third (33-26) but Boston (31-27) did enough in the fourth to hang on.

The C's shot 44.9% to 39.0% for the Bulls. Boston was 52.9% on threes and Chicago was 29.2%. Boston had five more rebounds (45-40) and eight more assists (25-17).

There will be no time to rest for Boston as they face Orlando, starting tomorrow night at the Garden. It is not going to be easy but I really don't fear the Magic. Dwight Howard is a beast but they're a finesse team and they haven't done much in the playoffs the last few seasons. Should be another interesting series.