BOSTON CELTICS (34-19) at CHICAGO BULLS (24-30)
Location: TD Garden, Boston, MA
Radio: 98.5 The Sports Hub
-
Sam Hauser AVAILABLE – (low back spasms)
-
Neemias Queta – AVAILABLE (right ankle sprain)
-
Max Shulga – OUT (G League, two-way)
-
Jayson Tatum – OUT (right Achilles repair)
-
John Tonje – OUT (G League, two-way)
-
Zach Collins – OUT (right 1st toe sprain)
-
Noa Essengue – OUT (left shoulder sprain)
-
Josh Giddey – DOUBTFUL (left hamstring strain)
-
Tre Jones – DOUBTFUL (left hamstring strain)
-
Yuki Kawamura – OUT (G League, two-way)
-
Mac McClung – OUT (G League, two-way)
-
Jalen Smith – DOUBTFUL (right calf strain)
What to watch for: This is the last game until the All-Star break. The Boston Celtics made it. The doldrums of the middle of the season are almost over.
The Celtics are 7-3 over their last 10 games, but that includes an ugly loss to the New York Knicks, an ugly win over the Miami Heat, and a near-blowout loss to the Atlanta Hawks.
Plus, a defeat at the hands of Kevin Huerter (who is now a Detroit Piston) and the Chicago Bulls at the United Center.
Tale of the tape: Huerter’s game-winner gave the Bulls a three-point victory in their last game against the Celtics. Boston was on the second night of a road back-to-back, having just barely beaten the Brooklyn Nets in double-overtime the night prior.
Before that, the Celtics picked up a relatively dominant win at home on January 5. But now, there’s more than just a game history attaching these two teams.
At the trade deadline, the Celtics sent Anfernee Simons to the Bulls in exchange for Nikola Vucevic. Now, the two traded players will get a chance to face one another.
Last game: In their last game, the Celtics got absolutely decimated on Super Bowl Sunday. The New York Knicks had their number, and it was an ugly contest from the jump.
They’ll be looking to put that game behind them on Wednesday night against Chicago.
Standings check-in: With their loss to the Knicks on Sunday, the Celtics failed to make any ground on them in the Eastern Conference standings.
However, New York lost an overtime game to the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night, giving the Celtics a half-game lead over them once again.
Now, with a win over the Bulls, the Celtics could take a full game lead over the Knicks (for the second seed) into the break.
Still, Boston is 5.5 games back of the one-seeded Pistons. However, if the Celtics beat the Bulls and the Pistons lose to the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday, they will be just 4.5 games back.
Bulls check-in: Chicago has been struggling mightily as of late, having won just two of their last 10 games.
The Bulls’ only two wins in their last 10 games were over the Celtics and Bulls, but they’ve lost five in a row and eight of their last nine.
Since joining the Bulls, Simons has been playing well. He’s appeared in three games, playing a team-high 32.8 minutes per contest. The former Celtic is averaging 20.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 5.3 assists while shooting 48.9% from the floor and 34.4% from deep on 10.7 three-point attempts in his last three games.
Matas Buzelis has been on fire. In his last 10 games, Buzelis has averaged 16.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.7 assists while shooting 46.0% from the floor and 41.4% from deep on 7.0 three-point attempts.
Collin Sexton and Jaden Ivey have also been playing big minutes for their new squad, as has former Celtic Guerschon Yabusele.
One fun play: This play may seem innocuous. But just watch Ron Harper Jr.
Mitchell Robinson has a chance to get this rebound over Vucevic, but Harper times his jump, leaps into the air, and gets two hands on the ball.
This is the type of hustle rebounding that will keep earning Harper minutes in Joe Mazzulla’s rotation. It’s a small play, but it means everything for a Celtics team that has struggled with defensive rebounding at times this season.
