The Chicago Bulls came into TD Garden Sunday night and walked away with an upset win over the Boston Celtics, 106-102.
Welcome to the playoffs, Chicago!
And with that, welcome to the possibility of actually pulling off a series upset against the Boston Celtics.
The Bulls, backed behind a 23-point second half showing by Jimmy Butler, were able to fend off a last-second Celtics comeback and earn the upset.
Chicago’s biggest strength in tonight’s game was its strength; the Bulls grabbed 20 offensive rebounds and were feasting on Boston in the paint.
The Bulls still aren’t likely to win this series, but a game one upset is an extremely promising sign. Here’s a quarter-by-quarter analysis of the game!
First Quarter
The Bulls started off all right, but the Celtics were on fire. A couple of 3-pointers from Avery Bradley and a 29-footer from Isaiah Thomas helped put Boston up 12-6 early.
Bradley and Thomas, who are close friends, kept playing exceptionally throughout the quarter, combining for 21 of the Boston’s 28 points.
Meanwhile, for Chicago, Rajon Rondo and Robin Lopez led the way. Rondo had some crafty layups, including a euro-step over Thomas, while Lopez snatched six rebounds and poured in 10 points.
Both teams were playing with high energy and effort, and at the end of the first, the Bulls trailed 28-23.
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Second Quarter
Chicago came out strong in the second, quickly going on a 7-0 run to take the lead behind a dunk and transition layup from Cristiano Felicio.
The Bulls lineup gave a sneak peek of what head coach Fred Hoiberg may plan to employ: it consisted of four playoff rookies (Jerian Grant, Paul Zipser, Bobby Portis, Felicio) and one vet (Dwyane Wade). This group, which plays at a faster pace and shoots more 3-pointers, looked promising and played effectively.
In other unsurprising news, Chicago started off 0-11 from deep, but it didn’t take them out of the game. Thanks to the Bulls 16 offensive rebounds, they were able to score easily from the paint.
At halftime, the Bulls led 48-46.
Third Quarter
Just like the first half, Chicago started off chucking too many 3-pointers, and none of them were going in. Nikola Mirotic kept trying to find his rhythm but not a single shot dropped. However, similar to before, Chicago’s ability to crash the offensive glass for second chance points kept them alive.
Nobody for the Bulls was playing truly exceptional (no one had more than 12 points other than Butler after the third), but a solid all-around effort kept them in the lead.
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The game remained close until Thomas nailed two consecutive and-ones, briefly making it appear as though the Celtics were about to go on a big run. But with two quick 3-pointers and a layup by Butler, Chicago stayed in the mix.
After the third, the Bulls and Celtics were tied at 74.
Fourth Quarter
Crunch time, baby!
The Bulls closed games pretty poorly during the regular season, so how would they do in their first playoff game?
Well, the game was on TNT, so Chicago would play awesome.
Butler finally hit his groove, and he scored 10 straight points for Chicago at the end of the third and beginning of the fourth quarter. Additionally, Portis played fantastically, hitting a couple contested mid-range and 3-point shots.
Side note: don’t be surprised if Portis starts for the Bulls during Game 2 due to his great performance. Him playing in crunch time during tonight’s game most likely is foreshadowing for Tuesday night.
The Bulls took a six-point lead with four minutes remaining in the game thanks to a 3-pointer by Grant and a tough midrange shot from Butler.
Neither team could pull away, though; Chicago’s momentum was cut by a crafty IT layup and a foul the following possession.
With 2:41 to go, Chicago led 97-92.
Chicago’s lead would increase, thanks in large part to a stout defensive effort. A clutch mid-range shot by Portis put the Bulls up 101-92 and capitalized a 14-4 run.
That shot would officially put the game away, as the Celtics weren’t able to climb back from the seven-point deficit.
Chicago, to the surprise of many, got the upset in Game 1, winning 106-102.