NBA playoffs: Bulls put Celtics on notice
In the NHL, seeing a No. 8 seed beat a top-seeded foe happens all the time. In the NBA, it has only taken place on four occasions, with just two instances this century.
While another upset of such magnitude is a long way off, there could be a situation to monitor. The Boston Celtics beat out the Cleveland Cavaliers for the top seed in the East, and drew the Chicago Bulls in the conference quarterfinals. In Game 1 at TD Garden, the Celtics fell victim to expectations, losing to the underdogs, 106-102. Chicago was able to pull away after the score was tied following three quarters, nabbing home-court advantage from its counterparts.
Jimmy Butler was the star of the game, scoring a team-high 30 points on 9-of-19 shooting from the field. in 41 minutes. Butler also grabbed nine rebounds and was helped tremendously by Bobby Portis off the bench, who chipped in with a surprising 19 points.
Perhaps the difference in the game can be traced to the charity stripe. The Bulls hit on 20-of-23 attempts from the free thrown line, while Boston only attempted 19 free throws, swishing 14.
The defeat had to be especially painful for All-NBA guard Isaiah Thomas, who lost his 22-eyar-old sister in a one-car auto accident on Saturday. Thomas, who has become the leader of Boston’s resurgence, was brilliant following the tragedy. The guard responded with a game-best 33 points on 10-of-18 shooting, along with notching six assists and five boards. Thomas could not have done more to help the Celtics, but was undone by a lack of support.
Al Horford was signed to a mega deal this offseason for this moment, and delivered with 19 points, eight assists and seven rebounds in 41 minutes. The other three starters combined for 28 points.
After the defeat, Horford talked about the emotions running through the Boston locker room, as the team tries to cope with Thomas’s personal grief. Per ESPN:
“We’re never going to make excuses, but this is hard,” Horford said. “This was difficult, and I felt like our guys really dealt with it best. We knew (Thomas) was hurting…we have a lot of respect for him that he was able to come out.”
Should the Celtics be able to compose themselves and rally to a Game 2 victory, moving onto the semifinals for either the Atlanta Hawks or Washington Wizards remains well within their grasp. However, a loss again on the home court could prove to be the undoing of the Celtics, who have enjoyed their best season under head coach Brad Stevens.
As for the Bulls, they have the talent to make a serious run in the East. The bench is thin, but the trio of Butler, Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo is daunting. While the Cavaliers remain the heavy favorite, perhaps Chicago can put a charge into the NBA playoffs that few saw coming.
