Outglassed: Bulls 93 Celtics 86

After exploding for 12 first quarter points, the 40 SEGABABA minutes caught up to him the rest of the way. He had 17 at the half and only 5 in the last 24 minutes. His opposite number, Luol Deng, put up a dozen in the fourth quarter alone. Has upped his rebounding game lately and 8 boards are a more than credible number given the context. What I love about Pierce right now is how willing he is to attack, even when the results aren’t there. You can’t blame him for the schedule.

His rebounding, which is a shade less effective than that of Boris Diaw and (gulp) Glen Davis, is a legitimate problem. Deng had four offensive rebounds tonight. Bass had five total. Ladies and gentlemen: your starting power forward! (I know that’s an oversimplication of his night but it’s also the flipside of the benefits of running he and KG out there in the starting five every night).

The shot was off all night but he snagged 14 rebounds, which made him the only Celtics big who pulled his weight in that category. By the way, there’s an argument to be made that considering his work on the defensive end (try focusing on KG’s defense for ten straight possessions) he’s never deserving of anything less than a B.

That last minute turnover stung (especially because the alternative was a wide open Ray Allen three ball) but by that point the Bulls had control of the game and the Celtics would have been fouling them just to extend the game. If Boston’s shooters were making shots, Rondo would have been up around 18 assists or so. He spoils us, in that sense.

All hail the new starter, for as long as the experiment lasts. Ended up in foul trouble and the numbers are nothing to write home about but I still love what I see from Bradley.

The move to sixth man suits his declining game (it’s all shooting with almost nothing in the passing/rebounding areas anymore) especially because he’s still going to get plenty of run with the starters. Hit a couple of tough shots tonight and finished at 50% from the field. Not bad for the second night back.

The thinking man’s Patrick O’Bryant. That’s not Hollins but whoever it is, I’d rather have him than this Cavalier castoff.

I’ll never quite understand how Pavlovic can play with so much energy (on defense, especially) and yet contribute so little overall. Prediction: his Celtics tenure will be amongst the least memorable of the era.

Needed more from him on the glass. Can someone do something to make him mean?