NBA Playoffs 2017: 5 keys to Celtics vs. Bulls matchup
By Noah Torr
It’s time for the Bulls and Celtics to take the court to face off against one another. Here a few things to keep your eye on.
The Boston Celtics and the Chicago Bulls are ready to take the court on Easter Sunday, April 16, to duke it out for a 1-0 lead in the series. Even though the Celtics are the overwhelming favorite to come out on top of the series, you can’t count out the Bulls just yet.
They have quite a bit of talent in Jimmy Butler, and Rajon Rondo has turned a corner for this team since the All-Star break. Fred Hoiberg has done his best to pull productive basketball from a flawed roster. The lineup that Hoiberg has had to turn to lately, composed of Paul Zipser, Butler, Rondo, Robin Lopez, and Nikola Mirotic has a net rating of +20.4 when they’re on the court. That is very impressive, good enough to be ranked 22nd in the league for highest net rating among any starting five. They have only played a combined total of 136 minutes together, though. So, it is a small sample size. But a +20.4 rating isn’t anything to joke about.
Lineups aside, here are a few keys matchups to watch in the series.
5. Make sure you are crashing the boards
The Celtics have a hard time crashing the boards. Al Horford has never really been known for his rebounding prowess and the Celtics had to know that going in. All season long other guys have had to step up and take on a bigger role. Avery Bradley has upped his rebounding numbers from 2.9 all the way up to 6.1 rebounds per game. Rebounding from other wings and backcourt players like Jae Crowder and Marcus Smart is extremely important.
The Bulls, on the other hand, have absolutely no problem crashing the boards. They rank third in the league, behind the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Denver Nuggets, in rebounds per game. The Bulls have a starting lineup built for rebounding. Robin Lopez can grab anything that bounces his way in the paint, and with two guards who like to hang out in the paint, in Butler and Rondo, and the Bulls are capable of controlling the glass.
The Celtics will need to figure out a way to get more rebounds on the defensive and offensive end if they want a chance to win this series. If Chicago can control the glass, it’s a huge edge for them.