2017 NBA Playoffs: Chicago Bulls at Boston Celtics, Game 1 Outlook

How did the series in the regular season go between the Bulls and Celtics?

First game (Opening Night): Bulls win, 105-99

Boston made a furious comeback in the fourth quarter, which isn’t much a surprise after seeing how Isaiah Thomas would play in the final frame all season, but it wasn’t enough. Dwyane Wade drained a right wing triple with 26.3 left to give the Bulls a 104-99 lead that would hold in the season opener.

Jimmy Butler struggled shooting from the field, going just 6-of-17 from the floor, but the Bulls got a needed boost up front from former Bull Taj Gibson. The long-time Bull-turned-member of the Oklahoma City Thunder chipped in 18 points and 10 rebounds in the win.

Second game: C’s win, 107-100

After the Bulls won the first three games of the season and looked like a team that was going to go 82-0, the Celtics ended any chances of that with a seven-point victory in the rematch from Opening Night.

The big (but strange) headline from this one? Amir Johnson, who scored 23 points on 9-of-11 shooting (including making all four 3s he took) in the win for Boston.

Third game: The #TNTBulls’ win streak continues … barely, 104-103

The #TNTBulls continued to live on thanks to one of the more controversial foul calls of the season on Marcus Smart.

You be the referee. Foul or no foul?

Well, it was called a foul, Butler hit two free throws and the Bulls won again at home on a TNT Thursday night.

Fourth game: C’s completely blow out the lifeless Bulls, 100-80

The Bulls had nine points.

After the first quarter.

On national television.

As you’d expect after a start like that, the Bulls would go on to lose their fifth straight game and fall to 31-35 on the season. They obviously went 10-6 to finish the year and sneak into the postseason, but this performance was certainly one of their worst all season long.