Celtics (58-15) at Bulls (29-44) 4/1

[FLCeltsFan]

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Boston Celtics (58-15) at Chicago Bulls (29-44)
Tuesday, April 1
Regular season game #74, Away game #36
TV: NBA LP ch 751, CSN Chicago, CSN HD, RTV
United Center



Probable Starters

Rajon Rondo/Ray Allen/Paul Pierce/Kevin Garnett/Kendrick Perkins

Off the Bench
James Posey, Eddie House, Tony Allen, Big Baby Davis, Leon Powe, PJ Brown, Sam Cassell, Brian Scalabrine

Injuries
Scot Pollard, ankle, out




Probable Starters

Larry Hughes/ Kirk Hinrich/ Luol Deng/Tyrus Thomas/ Joakim Noah

Off the Bench
Andres Nocioni, Aaron Gray, Ben Gordon, Chris Duhon, Cedric Simmons, Shannon Brown, Thabo Sefolosha, Demetris Nichols

Injuries
Drew Gooden, abdominal, questionable
James On Curry, thumb, out

Key Matchups
vs
Rajon Rondo PPG 10.7 RPG 4.10 APG 5.0 EFF + 14.10
Larry Hughes PPG 12.6 RPG 3.50 APG 2.7 EFF + 10.69
Hughes has more experience than Rondo, but Rajon has the speed advantage. He should be able to beat Hughes off the dribble every time down. Rondo has been playing very well of late and I expect him to continue to do so in this game also.

vs
Paul Pierce PPG 20.0 RPG 5.30 APG 4.7 EFF + 20.37
Luol Deng PPG 17.2 RPG 6.70 APG 2.4 EFF + 17.00
Deng does as good a job as anyone defending Pierce. Last season he held him to a season low 8 points in two different games. Pierce shot only 32% against the Bulls last season. After a 10 point 1-8 game in December, Pierce seems to have figured this matchup out as he scored 22 in each of the last 2 games.

Honorable Mention
Kendrick Perkins PPG 7.4 RPG 6.20 APG 1.1 EFF + 12.22
Joakim Noah PPG 6.0 RPG 5.50 APG 1.1 EFF + 9.86
Noah has been playing well since moving into the starting lineup but Perk should be able to muscle him inside for rebounds and put backs.

Keys to the Game
No Letdown The Celtics are sitting pretty in the East, 6 games ahead of Detroit. Chicago still has thin hopes of making the playoffs. The Celtics need to finish the season strong and not let down in spite of playing sub .500 and lottery teams.

Rebound The Bulls are a very good rebounding team. The Celtics need to concentrate on boxing out and beating the Bulls to the boards. Perk should be able to feast on the boards if he continues to aggressively go after them.

Defense The Bulls can score inside and they also have players who can hit the 3. The Celtics need to defend on the perimeter as well as in the paint. With Nociani, Duhon and Gordon coming off the bench, the Celtics bench will also have to be strong on defense.

X-Factor
Motivation and Desire
The Celtics need to motivate themselves to finish the season strong and not play down to the competition. Their desire to win has to fuel that motivation in spite of really having nothing left to prove and wanting to get on to the post season.

Game Notes

The Bulls are in 11th place in the East, 4 games out of the 8th playoff spot. They still have hopes for the playoffs, even though they are very thin. The Bulls are 4-6 in the last 10 and won their last game, a 114-111 win over the Bucks. They are 18-18 at home and the Celtics are 26-9 on the road. The Bulls are 30-23 against Eastern Conference teams while the Celtics are 33-10 in their own conference.

Chicago has swept the series the past 2 seasons. The Celtics have won the first 3 games between the two teams and are looking to sweep the Bulls for the first time since the 1986-87 season.

[FLCeltsFan]

stuck with the Bulls feed tonight. UGH!! Baby is sporting a mohawk tonight.

[FLCeltsFan]

Celtics win the tip. Foul called on Thomas. RA misses a jumper and rebound is tipped around. Both Perk and KG are fighting for it and Noah comes away with it. Deng misses and Perk rebounds. KG hits a jumper. Noah gets the ball inside and spins for a dunk. Perk misses a layup as it rolls around the rim and out. Bulls rebound. Noah has it stolen by Rondo. RA pulls up and hits a 3. Thomas with a reverse layup. Travelling called on Rondo. KG with a block and runs the floor and misses an alley oop dunk at the other end. Bulls miss and Perk grabs the rebound. KG misses a jumper. Noah clears the rebound. Deng misses a jumper. Rondo with the rebound. He drives into the paint and kicked it out to PP for a 3. Rondo with a steal and he takes it the length of the floor for a layup. Time out with Celtics up 10-4 and 7:32 left in the first

[FLCeltsFan]

Picking up with 5:23 left in the first. Celtics up 15-6. Hughes at the line hits the first. Tony comes in for RA. Huges hits the second. KG is fouled by Gordon. Celtics inbound on the side. Rondo's pass is picked off by Hughes. Noah misses a dunk and loses it out of bounds. The announcers are complaining that Noah didn't get the foul. Bulls inbound. Thomas lays it in and is fouled. He misses the FT and Perk rebounds. Rondo's bounce pass is deflected and Bulls come away with it. Bulls miss and Thomas rebounds. Deng misses from the corner. Tony takes the rebound away from Noah and then loses it to Hughes. Hughes loses it out of bounds. Pierce backs his way into the lane and hands off to Powe who is fouled. Powe hits both FTs. Hinrich misses a jumper. Powe called for pushing off on the rebound. Posey comes in to a big chorus of boos from the crowd. Deng misses and Posey rebounds. Tony drives to the hoop and misses the layup. Noah rebounds. Powe called for a foul, his second. Time out with Celtics up 17-10 and 2:36 left in the first

[FLCeltsFan]

Deng hits both FTs. Bulls pressing Rondo as the brings the ball up. PP pulls up at the FT line and hits a jumper. Hinrich hits a 3 off the catch. Celtics turn it over. Noah misses an alley oop dunk. Celtics come away with it. Posey hits a 3. Bulls lose the ball out of bounds. Sam comes in for Rondo. Tony misses a layup. Powe grabs the rebound but has it knocked away. Celtics inbound on the side. Sam's shot is blocked and Bulls come away with it. Deng hits a runner in the lane. Sam misses and Hinrich runs down the rebound. Bulls hit from the corner but too late as the quarter ends. Score at the end of 1 is Celtics 22 and Bulls 17

[FLCeltsFan]

Bulls inbound to start the second. Nocioni hits a runner in the lane. Posey hits a 3. He gets booed every time he touches the ball. Sefolosha misses and rebound goes out off Bulls. Posey misses a 3 from the top of the arc. Powe grabs the rebound but has it knocked out of bounds. RA hits a 3. Hughes misses Gray has the rebound but Cassell knocks it away and the Celtics come away with it. Posey goes baseline and hands off to Baby who lays it in and is fouled. He misses the FT and Bulls rebound. Nocioni hits a wide open 3 from the top of the arc. Tony loses the ball. Gray lays it in and is fouled. Time out with Celtics up 30-24. 8:27 left in the half

[Deleted]

God,I cant wait for the playoffs

[FLCeltsFan]

Gray at the line hits the FT. Tony drives down the lane and lays it in and draws the foul. He hits the FT. Hughes misses a 3 and RA grabs the rebound. Tony takes it to the hoop and is fouled as he misses the layup. He misses the first. hits the second. Posey with a foul on Nocioni. He hits both FTs. RA misses a 3. Bulls miss and Celtics rebound. RA misses a layup and Baby gets the rebound but misses the put back. Bulls come away with it. Sam called for a foul. He hits both FTs. KG misses a jumper. Sefalosha rebounds. KG called for a foul. Celtics in the penalty so Thomas goes to the line. He hits both FTs. RA loses the handle as he drives into the lane and Time out called with Celtics up 34-31. Every time the Celtics build a lead, the Bulls come right back.

[FLCeltsFan]

Thomas misses a jumper. KG tips the rebound and Perk comes down with it. Celtics miss and Bulls rebound. Duhon hits a jumper as Celtics defense breaks down. KG hits a fadeway jumper. Hughes misses and Rondo comes away with the rebound. KG lays it in with the left hand. KG with a block on Noah. The announcers are talking about how KG is talking trash to Noah. Thomas misses a layup.KG rebounds. Rondo called for an offensive foul on the drive. Bulls inbound Celtics with a steal. RA with a high lob to KG who puts it in. Gordon misses a jumper. rebound tipped out to Rondo. Perk gets a layup on the other end. Time out with Celtics up 42-33 and 2:37 left in the half

[FLCeltsFan]

Bulls in bound on the side. Excellent ball movement by the Bulls ends up with a 3 from the corner. RA answers with a quick 3 on the other end. Gordon hits a jumper. Lob to KG for a dunk. Deng misses a hook shot but Thomas flies in to dunk the miss. Gordon called for a foul away from the ball. Gordon called for a technical. RA hits the T. Celtics inbound on the side. Perk called for a foul, his second. Lob pass to Thomas for a dunk. Rondo takes it down the lane and lays it in. Travelling called on Duhon. Pierce brings the ball across and holds for the last shot. He drives into the paint and kicks out to KG who shoots an airball. Score at the half is Celtics 50 and Bulls 43.

[FLCeltsFan]

Bulls inbound to start the third. Hinrich hits a 3 from the corner. Noah with a steal at half court and takes it to the hoop for a dunk. Lead is quickly down to 2. PP hits a step back 3 from the top of the arc. Thomas gets the ball inside for a dunk. Rondo drives baseline and finds RA open for a 3. Deng takes it to the hoop and lays it in and is fouled by KG. Deng misses the FT. KG rebounds. KG misses a fade away in the lane and rebound goes out off Celtics. Deng hits a runner in the lane. Offensive foul on Rondo as Hinrich takes the charge. Deng misses a baseline jumper. PP hits a 3. Hinrich plows over Rondo who is called for the foul. KG called for a foul as Hinrich drives. He hits the first and misses the second. Perk rebounds. Noah is called for the foul. Celtics inbound on the side. Jump ball as Hinrich ties up KG. KG wins the tip but Bulls get the ball. Rondo with a steal. Hinrich with a foul to prevent the fast break layup. Rondo hits the first FT and misses the second. Bulls rebound. Hinrich misses a layup. Rondo comes away with the rebound. PP hits a 3. Hughes misses as Perk changes the shot. Perk rebounds. Rondo hits a long jumper. Time out with Celtics up 65 - 55 7:08 left in the 3rd

[FLCeltsFan]

Bulls inbound. Perk with a block but is called for a foul. He hits both FTs. KG hits a jumper on the right side. sefolosha hits a jumper. RA pulls up and hits a jumper in the lane. Thomas hits a jumper. PP loses the ball. Deng is fouled by RA and goes to the line. He misses the first and hits the second. RA misses a jumper from the corner and KG rebounds and is fouled. He hits both FTs. Thomas misses in the lane and Perk rebounds. KG spins in the lane and is fouled by Thomas. He hits both FTs. Thomas hits a jumper. PP loses the ball again. Sefolosha lays it in. PErk hits a hook shot in the lane. PP called for a foul on Deng, his first. Deng hits the FTs. Rondo's pass in the lane is picked off. Bulls turn the ball over out of bounds. Time out with Celtics up 75-67 and 3:13 left in the 3rd.

[FLCeltsFan]

Celtics inbound RA takes it baseline and is fouled. He hits both FTs. Thomas hits a jumper over Perk. Bulls turn it over. Posey and Tony coming in for Perk and RA. PP hits a step back 3. Sefolosha misses a 3. Bulls rebound. Powe blocks Thomas's shot. Posey misses a 3. Nocioni rebounds. Nocioni hits a jumper. PP misses a jumper from the FT line. Nocioni rebounds. Offensive foul on Sefolosha. Posey misses a 3. Powe rebounds and has the put back blocked from behind. He is fouled but no call. Bulls rebound. Noah is fouled by Posey with 1.6 left. He hits both FTs. Rondo hits a runner at the buzzer but they waive it off saying no basket. Score at the end of 3 is Celtics 79 and Bulls 73

[FLCeltsFan]

PP's shot is blocked and Powe works for the rebound. he comes up with it and lays it in. Gray with a layup at the other end. PP misses a 3 and Thomas rebounds. Nocioni misses a 3. Baby with the rebound. Tony drives baseline and is fouled by Gordon. He hits both FTs. 3 seconds called on Bulls. Nocioni called for a foul on Pierce. Pass inside is stolen. Tony callled on Tony as he tries to prevent the lob pass. Bulls inbound on the side. Gordon misses and Celtics rebound. Sam misses a jumper and Bulls rebound. Gray working on Powe and then throws it away out of bounds. Sam with a pass inside to Powe who is fouled but no call. Bulls come away with it. Time out with Celtics up 83-75 with 8:57 left in the 4th

[FLCeltsFan]

Celtics inbound. Sam hits a 3 from the corner. Nocioni hits a 3 from the top of the arc. Bulls with good ball movement to find the open man. Posey misses a 3 from the corner. Powe with the rebound and is fouled. Powe hits both FTs. KG and Sam pressure the ball in the back court. Powe called for a foul on the baseline. Bulls turn it over. Sam pulls up for a shot and is fouled. Sam misses the first. hits the second. Celtics with back court pressure again. Gordon hits a 3. RA pulls up and hits a jumper. Hinrich has it blocked by KG. Noah dives on the floor for the loose ball but Celtics come away with it and Sam is fouled. He hits both FTs. Nocioni is fouled by RA as he drives to the hoop. Time out with Celtics up 93-81. 5:59 left in the 4th