The Chicago Bulls followed up their strong record against top teams with a disappointing 115-101 defeat to the Boston Celtics. Despite shooting better from the field and limiting turnovers, Boston controlled the game nearly wire-to-wire. Here are three key takeaways:
1. Worst First Half of the Season
- Bulls scored just 14 points in the first quarter (season-low).
- Went into halftime down 54-33, their lowest first-half output since Feb. 11, 2025.
- Celtics dominated the offensive glass with 14 first-half offensive rebounds, converting them into a 16-2 second-chance points advantage.
- Chicago’s offense lacked rhythm without Josh Giddey, with poor off-ball movement and transition playmaking.
2. Extra Field Goals Decide the Game
- Celtics attempted 104 shots (season-high), 18 more than Chicago.
- Bulls allowed 20 offensive rebounds and committed 13 turnovers, leading to 45 combined points for Boston.
- Anfernee Simons hit a season-high 8 threes, while Payton Pritchard added 4, including a halftime buzzer-beater.
- Winning the possession battle was the difference, despite Boston shooting just 40%.
3. Bulls Got Lucky, But Still Lost
- Jaylen Brown, fresh off a 50-point game, shot just 6-24 (14 points) — his second-lowest scoring night of the season.
- Derrick White also struggled, going 1-10 from deep for 10 points.
- Even with Boston’s two stars misfiring, Chicago still lost by double digits, highlighting deeper issues.
🔎 Player Grades
- Matas Buzelis – A-: 26 PTS, 9-12 FG. Active offensively, kept Bulls alive in second half.
- Ayo Dosunmu – B: 15 PTS, 5 AST. Brought energy off the bench, could earn a starting look.
- Nikola Vucevic – B-: 15 PTS, 15 REB. Strong fourth quarter, but rebounding disparity remains glaring.
- Tre Jones – C: 10 PTS, 5 REB. Needs more scoring aggression when offense stagnates.
- Coby White – C-: 5 PTS, 4 TO. Rusty return from injury, struggled to find rhythm.
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