Bulls-Celtics: Three Takeaways From A Kyrie-Free Defeat

No Kyrie, no problem for the Boston Celtics at the United Center. The Boston Celtics destroy the Chicago Bulls.

This game was practically over from the jump. The Boston Celtics rode a 19-0 run in the middle of the first quarter en route to a 35-16 edge against your Chicago Bulls in the first period. Though the final score was a pseudo-respectable 105-89, Boston could have won by 40 points. Chicago logged just 29 points in the first half, a miserable sum. Boston had 55.

All-NBA starting point guard Kyrie Irving sat out Monday’s festivities in the United Center with left knee soreness. Shane Larkin started in his place, but Terry Rozier took the bulk of Kyrie’s minutes. The latter played 31 minutes to the former’s 16. Both performed fine against Chicago’s lackluster perimeter defense. They combined for 22 points on seven-of-14 shooting, 11 assists and seven rebounds. Remember when there was chatter Kyrie was interested in joining the Bulls to play with Jimmy Butler? Those days are long gone. Thanks, John Paxson.

On nights like last night, it behooves Bulls fans to remember that Chicago is playing to lose now. That said, none of the Bulls’ core future pieces looked too promising. Lauri Markkanen, Kris Dunn, and Zach LaVine all had rough goes of it against a young and hungry Boston Celtics squad.

That said, it’s going to be hard for the Bulls to lose all of its upcoming games unless we rest one or all of those players. Chicago has several must-lose games against fellow tankers. Chicago faces Memphis (twice), Atlanta, New York, the Magic, Charlotte, and Brooklyn (also twice) in this final stretch. Let’s hope that they continue their awful play from Monday night for the next five weeks. This is our prize, people. Stay strong. Below are your takeaways.

Bobby Portis: Starter

Let me just be clear: I really don’t like Bobby Portis. He is, at best, an erratic energy scorer off the bench, a third big man with a lot of issues between the ears. It’s ludicrous that Bulls GM Gar Forman and VP John Paxson would consider an offseason extension for this guy. Granted, Portis is clearly better than Post-Extension Cris Felicio. Benching the rolly polly $32 million Brazilian center in favor of The Face Breaker as last night’s starter makes some sense… if you’re trying to win games.

The Bulls, though, are not in the market to do that. If the Bulls really want to ensure heavy losses down the stretch, and avoid the kind of accidental win they had against Dallas Friday, they need to restrict the minutes of their best players. Sitting Robin Lopez and Justin Holiday was a good first start. Their five starters, though, are generally somewhat competent — and thus, should be playing way less. Tonight, it made little difference, but against the dregs of the league in the coming weeks, it will be important to rest the good guys and play 14th-man backup center Omer Asik and Jarell Eddie as much as possible.

All this said, Portis was awful last night. He had seven points in 27 minutes of action, going just two-of-eight from the floor. He did have one nice move, scoring an and-one off a layup against a Jayson Tatum defensive mismatch. Portis pulled down a paltry six rebounds. He is proving to be a strange fit alongside Markkanen, as neither is much of a defender, are both are a bit skinny to man the paint against penetrators. Lopez remains Chicago’s best option at center, so starting Portis over Felicio in the grand scheme of things is still a net negative. It does help the tank. I just hope Chicago can trade him this summer, And the Bulls better not extend him.

What if Cameron Payne is better than Jerian Grant?

These are the kinds of questions we ask ourselves when Chicago trades Taj Gibson, Jimmy Butler, and Nikola Mirotic within the span of one year. Fans cling to scraps. Payne had yet another solid outing on paper in supplanting Grant as Kris Dunn’s primary backup. In 19 minutes, he had a +10 plus-minus, scored 10 points (against Boston’s deep bench, but still), and had just one turnover. Grant, though a decent shooter, has a minimally developed court awareness after three seasons.

Payne has an okay handle, and did knock down two of his four three-point attempts last night. He is a 22.2% three-point shooter overall this year. He did make one slick layup after picking Greg Monroe’s pocket last night, so.. that’s something, at least. Not much, but something. Grant played just seven garbage minutes, and scored eight points (including going two-of-three from deep) in that span.

For the record, I don’t think Payne is better than Grant. I also don’t think this matters much, because neither of these players would get any minutes at all on a playoff team. Payne, however, had his $3.3 million team option for next season needlessly extended in late October by GarPax. That was a horrible, short-sighted decision, and thus should come as no surprise at all coming from Bulls management.

Zach LaVine’s rough night

 The restricted free agent connected on just one of his eleven field goal attempts (he had four points total), registering no rebounds and just one assist in 27 minutes. Though he did have three steals, his general inattention on defense continues to raise red flags about his fit in the future. LaVine will be seeking a near-maximum salary. Here’s hoping nights like tonight are the exception, and not the rule.