Everything you need to know about the Celtics' 111-104 win over the Bulls with BSJ insight and analysis
Box Score
HEADLINES
Tatum bounces back with a big night: Jayson Tatum had one of the worst shooting performances of his NBA career on Friday night against the Hawks and wasted little time to bounce back in Chicago. The third-year forward erupted for 28 points on 12-of-15 shooting from the field, including a contested 3-point dagger in the closing minutes of a tight affair, which helped carry the shorthanded Celtics to a 111-104 road win against the Bulls on Saturday night. It was the third straight win for the visitors overall and second straight without Kemba Walker (flu-like symptoms).
Without the team’s All-Star point guard, Tatum, Gordon Hayward (24 points) and Jaylen Brown (19 points) carried the scoring load while a huge third quarter from Enes Kanter (17 points, 12 rebounds) helped put the visitors in command until a late run by Chicago made things interesting. Zach LaVine had a game-high 35 points for the hosts who have now dropped three straight games overall.
The Celtics should get some added reinforcements on Monday night in Washington with Walker feeling better as they go for their fourth straight win.
Offense thrives even with no Kemba: The Celtics have been one of the worst offensive teams in the league without Kemba Walker on the floor this season but they actually rode their strong scoring in Saturday’s win against an elite defensive team. The visitors posted their fourth-best shooting night of the year (52 percent) along with a 42 percent shooting night from beyond the arc to take down the sixth-ranked Bulls defense that were well-rested. With losses on back-to-backs (Toronto, Philadelphia) looming large during the month of December, this was a big performance for the C’s to extend their winning streak to three games without a huge part of the roster.
TURNING POINT
The Celtics rode the hot offense of Kanter with the second unit to break open the game in the second half with a 16-6 run, pushing the C’s lead to 16 points early in the frame. That was enough of a cushion for the visitors to withstand a late Bulls charge and hold on for the victory.
THREE UP
Jayson Tatum: The forward had one of his most efficient nights as a pro despite facing an elite defender in Kris Dunn. He knocked down 80 percent of his shot attempts (12-of-15), while pitching it with some impact plays on the defensive end (2 steals, 2 blocks).
Enes Kanter: The big man posted his third consecutive double-double while taking a season-high 17 field goal attempts. He’s averaging 14.7 points and 12.3 rebounds during the C’s three-game winning streak and was the first player on the roster to post three straight double-doubles this year.
Gordon Hayward: The swingman played his best game since returning from his sore foot, scoring 24 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the field while posting a team-high plus-15. He’s shooting 56 percent from the field while averaging 21.0 points per game over Boston’s last three wins.
ONE DOWN
Marcus Smart: His shooting slump continues in the aftermath of his eye infection. He’s shooting just 20 percent (4-of-20) from 3-point range over his last four games and has shot 25 percent or worse from the field in three games during the past week.
TOP PLAY
?@NBAAllStar, dunk contest? pic.twitter.com/VVY8jfOOEJ
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) January 5, 2020
TWO TAKES B-ROBB WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER
This was one of the more impressive wins of the season despite the poor competition: The Bulls may be just 13-23 but they are a top-6 defense in the NBA surprisingly and they made life tough for the C’s from a ball pressure standpoint all night (19 turnovers). Tired legs and no Kemba made this look like a tough out (Vegas had the Bulls favored) but the C’s delivered one of their most efficient performances of the year without their top star. Tatum, Brown and Hayward did plenty of the heavy lifting with scoring. Kanter was a monster off the bench while Brad Wanamaker, Grant Williams and Javonte Green chipped in with timely energy plays. No one outside of Zach LaVine got into any kind of rhythm. It got scary in the fourth quarter but the C’s made enough plays to win against a team that was rested and hungry for a win. Good teams find a way to pull off these kind of victories on tired legs and this is the latest proof that this group has a higher ceiling than last year.
Kris Dunn would be an intriguing trade option for some contender: The former PC star and lottery pick has underwhelmed for the majority of his NBA career and looks like he has no long-term future in Chicago after the Bulls drafted Coby White last spring. His lack of a consistent outside shot is a major issue (23 percent from 3) but his hounding defense and drive-and-kick ability should make him a useful addition for some contender looking for a bench spark. The Celtics probably won’t look at him since Brad Wanamaker already does a lot of what he brings to the table but he could provide some useful weak defense for a good team in either conference.