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Chicago Bulls (10-2) at Boston Celtics (4-5)
Friday, January 13
8:00 PM ET
Game #10, Home Game #6
TV: ESPN, CSN-C, CSNNE, NBAC
Radio: WEEI, WMVP
TD Garden 
Probable Starters 
PG: Rajon Rondo..................................................SG Ray Allen 
C: Jermaine O'Neal 
SF: Paul Pierce ................................. ............PF Kevin Garnett Coach: Doc Rivers
Boston ReservesBrandon Bass
Mickael Pietrus
Chris Wilcox
Keyon Dooling
JaJuan Johnson
Greg Siemsma
E'Twaun Moore
Avery Bradley
Marquis Daniels
Sasha Pavlovic
InjuredMarquis Daniels (illness) questionable
Keyon Dooling (knee) questionable
Jermaine O'Neal (knee) probable
Sasha Pavlovic (wrist) questionable
Probable Starters 
PG: Derrick Rose............................................. SG: Ronnie Brewer 
C: Joakim Noah 
SF: Luol Deng .................................................. PF: Carlos Boozer Coach: Tom Thibodeau
Bulls BenchJohn Lucas III
Omer Asik
Kyle Korver
Taj Gibson
Jimmy Butler
Brian Scalabrine
Mike James
Injuries Rip Hamilton (groin) day to day
Derrick Rose (toe) day to day
CJ Watson (elbow) day to day
Team Connections Bulls Head Coach Tom Thibodeau was a member of the Celtics coaching staff from 2007-10 and was a member of the 2008 NBA Championship coaching staff
Bulls Assistant Coaches Ed Pinckney (1988-94) and Adrian Griffin (1999-2001) played for the Celtics
Brian Scalabrine played for the Celtics from 2005-10 and was a member of the 2008 NBA championship team
Rip Hamilton and Ray Allen both attended the University of Connecticut
Jimmy Butler and Celtics Head Coach Doc Rivers both attended Marquette University
C.J. Watson and Mickael Pietrus were teammates in Golden State during the 2007-08 season
Rip Hamilton and Chris Wilcox were teammates in Detroit from 2009-11
Key Matchups
vs
Rajon Rondo 15.8 PPG, 10.1 APG, 4.9 RPG 1.9 SPG
Derrick Rose 20.7 PPG, 8.6 APG, 3.4 RPG 0.8 SPG
This is one of the premier point guard matchups in the league. There is a lot of discussion about whether Rondo or Rose is the better PG and in a head to head matchup, expect both players to do their best to make their case as the best. Rose missed the Bulls' last game with a toe injury but is expected to play in this one if at all possible.
vs
Jermaine O'Neal 5.4 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 1.6 BPG 47.7% FG%
Joakim Noah 7.1 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 1.0 BPG 39.7% FG%
Both of these centers have been struggling somewhat. In the last game vs the Mavs Jermaine had just 2 points and 3 rebounds in 22 minutes. In his last 5 games, Noah has been averaging just 4.2 points on 30.4% shooting. If one of these centers has a big game it could go a long ways toward helping his team get a win.
Honorable MentionPaul Pierce vs Luol Deng
Paul Pierce has been struggling in recent games and the Celtics need him to get back on track. Deng has always defended Pierce well and if that continues in this game, Pierce could be in for another long night.
Game Notes The Celtics will welcome a couple of familiar faces when the Bulls come to visit the Garden. Tom Thibodeau, who was credited with the defense that
led the Celtics to their 17th championship is now in his second season as the head coach of the Bulls. Brian Scalabrine, who was a fan favorite in Boston for 5 seasons, has returned for his second season in Chicago.
This is the first of 4 meetings between these two teams this season. Last season they split the series 2-2, with each team winning on their home court. The Celtics are 10-8 against the Bulls since the 2006-07 season. Ray Allen led the Celtics with 16.6 ppg against the Bulls last season while Derrick Rose led the Bulls with 26.0 points and 6.8 assists per game.
Both teams have been dealing with injuries but at 10-2, the Bulls are obviously dealing much better than the Celtics. Derrick Rose missed the Bulls' last game, a win against the Wizards but is expected to give it a try in this game. Jermaine O'Neal and Keyon Dooling missed the Celtics last practice and are questionable for this game.
The Celtics dropped below .500 with their loss to the Mavericks and have lost their last 2 games after winning 4 in a row. Their 4 wins were all against the bottom teams in the league and they have yet to beat a team at or above .500. A win in this game could go a long way toward quieting the doubts of the fans who are close to panicking.
Keys to the Game Rondo/Rose Matchup - This is not only a key matchup, but one of the keys to the game. Both point guards control the tempo of their team and both are key to their team's success. If Rose's toe injury keeps him out, expect John Lucas III to get his second straight start. This would make it easier on Rondo, but would still not be easy as Lucas scored 25 points against Detroit in his first career start.
Limit turnovers - The Celtics have been turning the ball over way too much. They have been making sloppy passes and not taking care of the ball when dribbling. They must take better cae of the ball.
Rebound - The Celtics have to rebound the ball. They were out-rebounded 47-36 by the Pacers and 43-35 by the Mavericks. The Mavs were 17-0 in second chance points and the Celtics pulled down just 2 offensive rebounds the entire game. The Celtics have to do a better job of boxing out and grabbing the rebounds. Much of rebounding is desire and the Celtics just haven't been showing that they want it more than their opponents.
Play 48 Minutes - The Celtics have been starting out very sluggish! They dig themselves a hole in every game and then have to come back from a deficit which takes a lot out of them. They must start strong and not let up until the final buzzer. Playing in spurts just isn't cutting it.
Topic: Bulls (10-2) at Celtics (4-5) 1/13 (Read 92918 times)