2017 NBA Playoffs: Chicago Bulls at Boston Celtics – 3 Takeaways

Apr 16, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas (4) is surrounded by Chicago Bulls including forward Bobby Portis (5) and guard Dwyane Wade (3) during the fourth quarter of the Chicago Bulls 106-102 win over the Boston Celtics in game one of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 16, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas (4) is surrounded by Chicago Bulls including forward Bobby Portis (5) and guard Dwyane Wade (3) during the fourth quarter of the Chicago Bulls 106-102 win over the Boston Celtics in game one of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 16, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Dwyane Wade (3) passes the ball off past Boston Celtics center Al Horford (42) during the second quarter in game one of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 16, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Dwyane Wade (3) passes the ball off past Boston Celtics center Al Horford (42) during the second quarter in game one of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports /

Staggered Rotations!

More than anything else, I was thoroughly impressed by Fred Hoiberg’s willingness to stagger the minutes of the so-called Three Alphas last night. He actually played Dwyane Wade the way Dwyane Wade should be played for a lot of the evening!

Again, Wade did not have a great night. Nevertheless, he managed to play effective minutes in a stellar lineup with some of the Bulls’ younger guns. In this particular lineup, the 35-year-old ran next to Jerian Grant in the back court, with Paul Zipser, Portis and everybody’s favorite Brazilian Cristiano Felicio up front.

Wade functioned as Chicago’s lead ball-handler in these sets, a great way to use him since he plays the best with the ball in his hands, but not when it’s to the detriment of Jimmy Butler or Rajon Rondo.

This lineup of Wade plus bench guys got off to an impactful 10-0 run to start the second quarter, and played a tough, fronting defensive style that spooked Boston into missing eight straight field goals. All these players rebound well for their positions and everyone has length to bug the undersized Celtics.

Though Al Horford (who, at 6-feet-10 and a lean 245 pounds, is small for a center) wound up scoring 19 points, pulling down seven rebounds and dishing out eight assists, he missed out on several key rebounds, especially late. Great Bulls team awareness beneath the net abetted Horford’s troubles.

Staggering Dwyane Wade’s minutes from the rest of the starters and equipping Flash with his own offense to run is probably the most effective way to milk efficient basketball from the future Hall of Famer at this stage in his career. Butler and Rondo clearly operated better without him when Wade went down with his elbow injury late in the regular season.

Next: Bulls at Celtics, Game 1: Bulls ride Jimmy Butler late to upset victory in Boston

It’s nice that Fred Hoiberg showed some awareness of how best to use his second-best player last night. Go Bulls.