Everything you need to know about the Bulls beating the Celtics 126-116 with BSJ insight and analysis
Box Score
HEADLINES
Celtics suffer another embarrassing defeat: In a season full of ugly losses, the Celtics added another notable one to the list on Saturday night, allowing Zach LaVine (42 points) and Lauri Markkanen (35 points) go for career-high scoring nights in a dreadful defensive performance as the Bulls coasted to a 126-116 victory. Chicago led by as many as 25 points in the second half after they took control of the game with a 36-18 second quarter which was fueled by a dreadful performance by Boston’s bench.
The Celtics trimmed the lead down to eight on a couple different occasions but did not have an answer for LaVine and Markkanen on the defensive end all night long. Kyrie Irving had a team-high 37 points for the C’s in 40 minutes, while Al Horford added 19 points. Woeful efforts came from Terry Rozier (three points on 1-0f-9 shooting) and Gordon Hayward (five points) which help dig the C’s into a first half hole they could not climb out of.
The gap for the three seed is growing: Boston now has lost two straight games out of the All-Star Break and have fallen three games behind the Pacers for the three seed. They wrap up their three-game road trip with another tough matchup against the Raptors on Tuesday night and play above .500 opponents in seven of their next eight games, with five of those coming on the road. It's not going to be easy for the Celtics to secure home-court advantage in the first round at this rate, as the margin for error becomes slimmer for them with each loss to an inferior opponent. Two games against Indiana in the final month of the season will loom very large in this battle.
TURNING POINT
The Bulls turned the game around with their second unit in the second quarter, opening the frame with a 14-1 run despite playing with a five-man bench unit, all of which would be considered far inferior players to their individual matchups with the Celtics reserves. The momentum rolled over to the starters, which helped the hosts outscore the Celtics by 18 in the quarter and Boston was never able to dig out of that hole.
ONE UP
Kyrie Irving: I’m hesitant to give anyone an up tonight, but going for 37 points and 10 assists is worthy of some props even if a lot of those points came during extended garbage time. The Celtics fell apart in the seven minutes that Irving was on the bench tonight (Irving was a plus-4) and even though his defensive effort waned at times, this would have been a 25-point blowout without Irving.
TWO DOWN
Terry Rozier: Another woeful offensive night from the reserve guard. He was 1-of-9 from the field in just 14 minutes, including 1-of-6 from beyond the arc. Over the last three games, he is 5-of-27 from the field and 2-of-13 from 3-point range. The offense fell apart in the first half when he was playing point guard and it’s about time the keys are taken out of his hands on that front.
Brad Stevens: The head coach talked about holding players more accountable after the Clippers collapse two weeks ago and he failed to follow through on that front in a miserable first half from the bench unit. Jaylen Brown and Daniel Theis bounced back after intermission but Rozier’s struggles have been apparent all year long and he was no better in the second half after a miserable stint. Stevens has alternatives, he needs to start exploring them.
TOP PLAY
Tatum drains the tough stepaway jumper right in the D's face ? pic.twitter.com/ArIzubuPw4
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 24, 2019