Chicago Bulls can take advantage of a down Celtics team

What looked to be one of the most difficult games in the early-season schedule comes for second-year head coach Billy Donovan and the Chicago Bulls on the night of Nov. 1. Donovan and the Bulls are set to take on the Boston Celtics on the road to begin the month of November in a game that could still be challenging for this team.

The Celtics are off to a slow start this season, as they are very much in a transition phase of their own. Following a loss to the surging Washington Wizards in overtime on Oct. 30, the Celtics are sporting a record of 2-4. This is not the start the Celtics were planning to get off to say the very least.

What looked to be a Celtics’ roster that could contend near the top of the Eastern Conference standings this season is doing anything but that to start things off. The star forward duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown hasn’t found the formula that amounts to success in the win column so far this season.

Bringing back the likes of standout veteran big man Al Horford, along with additions like shooting guard Josh Richardson and point guard Dennis Schroder, have really yet to pan out in a big way yet. And the move for Brad Stephens up from the head coaching role to the front office is still taking time to settle in.

The Celtics also caught some tough luck out of the gates this season. Two of the four losses for the Celtics so far this season came in overtime, at the hands of the Wizards and New York Knicks. And the other was another loss to the Wizards at home on Oct. 27.

Billy Donovan and the Chicago Bulls ready for the Celtics

This still feels like something that the Celtics can figure out in the near future this season. But the Bulls are one of the more difficult early-season opponents for the Celtics. And the timing can help the Bulls continue to find success in the win column.

While the Bulls took a step back in a loss that was more convincing in reality than it was on the scoreboard, at the hands of the Knicks at home at the United Center on Oct. 28, they bounced back nicely later in the weekend. The Bulls topped the Jazz in a 107-99 win at the United Center on Oct. 30 to hand Utah their first loss of the season.

This was a nice step forward for Donovan and the Bulls to prove that they can hang with one of the best teams in the NBA. And it can help to build the momentum necessary to continue to move up the standings in the East by taking on the Celtics on Nov. 1.

Donovan and the Bulls are currently sporting a record of 5-1 following that aforementioned key win over the Jazz on Oct. 30. Tip-off time between the Bulls and Celtics on 6:30 p.m. CT in Boston on Nov. 1.