Game 36/82: C’s (28-7) @ Bulls (23-12) Open Thread
Posted by Brian Robb on Jan 8, 2011
Boston at Chicago
8:00 P.M. ET
United Center
CSNNE
Offensive Efficiency:
Boston: 108.5 points/100 possessions (10th)
Chicago: 105.9 points/100 possessions (17th)
Defensive Efficiency:
Boston: 99.7 points allowed/100 possessions (1st)
Chicago: 100.3 points allowed/100 possessions (2nd)
Probable Chicago starters: Derrick Rose (PG), Keith Bogans (SG), Luol Deng (SF), Carlos Boozer (PF), Kurt Thomas (C)
Injuries: Chicago: Joakim Noah (out), Boston: Jermaine O’Neal (knee, questionable) Kevin Garnett (out), Delonte West (out), Kendrick Perkins (out)
View From The Opposing Bench: By The Horns
THUMBNAIL
The league’s top defensive units go head-to-head without their top defensive anchors in place in what is shaping up to be a preview of a Eastern Conference Semifinals or Finals match-up. In the short term though, Boston has shaken off it’s post Christmas mini-slump to reel on four straight wins thanks to some home cooking. The Bulls meanwhile have dropped two straight on the road against subpar teams, including one last night to Philly. The defense has been putrid for a Tom Thibodeau squad in both those losses and that’s good news for a Celtic squad that has been firing on all cylinders offensively these past two games. The bad news for Boston? Chicago is an entirely different (and better) team at home, which brings us to our first point.
WHAT THE BULLS DO WELL
Play Well At Home
The Bulls boost the third best home mark in the league, behind the Spurs and C’s at 15-3 in the friendly confines of the United Center. So just what exactly do the Bulls do better at home with this home-court advantage? Pretty much, everything but a couple of categories stand out.
First, the three point shooting. On a whole the Bulls are a mediocre squad from downtown hitting just 35.8 percent of their long balls. Put them at home, and you have a different story, as they knock down 39.4 percent from beyond the arc. That kind of increased output helps them put up over 102 points a game at home, and outscore their opponents by over 10 points in Chitown. They are clearly more comfortable there offensively and their shooters must be accounted for.
DEFENSE?
The team is very sound in all “four factors” on the defensive end, though are particularly stingy with their FG defense like the C’s. They are a top 5 squad in defending all FG’s and the three-point line, giving them the third best eFG defense in the league. They also force turnovers at an above-average rate, don’t let opponents get to the line much and are very solid at rebounding, though Noah’s absence leaves a huge void in that department lately.
Unfortunately for the C’s those defensive numbers get even better at home, as commenter Downtown pointed out earlier, as they allow just 41 percent shooting for their opponents in the United Center. We won’t be seeing anymore 58 percent games tonight for the C’s. Hitting the 50 percent barrier should be tough.
The good news for Boston? Defense has been a weak spot these last few games. Check out these quotes from after the Sixers game from By The Horns:
Said Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau: “Our catch-and-shoot defense wasn’t very good. Containing dribble penetration. And then challenging shots, you got to challenge shots. Sometimes we’re right there and if we don’t challenge shots they’re going to make [them]. They got in rhythm early on us and when a team gets confidence, it’s much harder to slow them down. They got their confidence going and we had a hard time all night.”
Added Derrick Rose: “We weren’t playing any defense. I think they hit 10 or 11 shots in a row. We couldn’t stop nobody. But we can’t panic. We just lost two in a row. We got a game [Saturday].”
So what’s the problem?
“I really don’t know right now,” Rose said. “I’m confused. We just got to find a way where everybody’s on the same page … We’re not playing like ourselves right now. Where we’re not stopping people, they’re scoring at will right now and we just got to get back to ourselves.”
Do we expect a bounceback effort tonight or more of the same? I’m curious to find out.
WHAT THE BULLS DO POORLY
Take Care of the Ball.
Most of the team is solid in this department, but the Bulls rank in the bottom third in turnover rate due to their bench bigs (Omer Asik, Kurt Thomas, Brian Scalabrine) having some just atrocious turnover rates.
Shoot The Deep Ball. Despite picking up sharpshooter Kyle Korver and signing capable long-distance drainers in Keith Bogans and CJ Watson, the Bulls are struggling to find their stroke this year. The Bulls are sitting at the 18th spot when it comes to 3P% at .357.
PLAYERS THAT MAKE ME WORRY
Derrick Rose.…..No need to detail why here, but this is Rajon Rondo’s first true test against an uber elite point guard (I’m going to take a cheap shot at Tony Parker here since he doesn’t like to give Rondo any credit for 22 assists by not placing him in this category) since returning from a sprained ankle. In all seriousness, Rose is one of the toughest covers in the league and the C’s will need a team effort to contain him and help Rondo out all over the floor.
Kurt Thomas…..This is a hunch more than anything else but Shaq will be guarding him and Jermaine may not play and Thomas can hit open jumpers. It could be a recipe for disaster.
PLAYERS THAT DO NOT MAKE ME WORRY
Keith Bogans. For a team that can be some mediocre defensively, it’s tough to have a guy starting at shooting guard who is an absolute offensive zero. I know he’s a veteran and still solid defensively but the Bulls have to do better than him in order to be taken seriously. For the record, he’s shooting 25 percent and averaging 2 ppg in his last 10.
WHAT WE WANT TO SEE FROM C’S TONIGHT
- Move the ball around
- Protect the glass
- Establish command early
PREDICTION
It’s good timing for the C’s to catch the Bulls without Noah and on a role defensively. They matched up with them well in Boston and should do so even better now without the big man. With the C’s firing on offensive cylinders well lately and Chicago seeing some turmoil with a couple losses combined with a fourth quarter benching of Boozer Wednesday night, I like the C’s to sneak out of town with a hard fought win.
Celtics 98, Bulls 93
The Ticker