Thoughts on playing the bulls round 1?

[Chris22]

I think it's a good matchup for the Celts. What I find strange is ESPN headline of the Bulls where it almost makes it seem like we are the challengers and the Bulls are the favorite. This is the bullet:

Bulls know they're in for a challenge vs. the Celtics

In for a challenge? No ****! You are in for an ass-kicking!!]

This, TP.

[PhoSita]

I think this will be a long, ugly series that goes the full 7, but I expect the Celts to win.

[Eric_Suede]

I think this will be a long, ugly series that goes the full 7, but I expect the Celts to win.

Agreed, We should beat the bulls. Their frontcourt is horrid. Butler will have some good games but I think we should win. Honestly it was the Pacers who has been playing great as of late that scared me . That was the matchup I didn't want to see. I'm glad the Hawks decided to rest their starters.

[saltlover]

I don't think this series goes more than 5.  The difference between having a coach like Stevens vs. having a coach like Hoiberg will be very apparent over several games.

[hwangjini_1]

I think this will be a long, ugly series that goes the full 7, but I expect the Celts to win.

maybe, but i think the celtics are the better team and show it. i predict celtics in 6....maybe even 5.

[PhoSita]

I think this will be a long, ugly series that goes the full 7, but I expect the Celts to win.

maybe, but i think the celtics are the better team and show it. i predict celtics in 6....maybe even 5.

My expectation is that it'll be close most nights, and the Bulls will win a few games thanks to Jimmy Buckets and Wade in crunch time, and/or timely offensive rebounds by Lopez and Mirotic.

I think it'll be sort of like the Celts' series against the Hawks in 08, or the series against the Bulls in 09, in that it will be hard fought and go the full seven, but ultimately the teams are not actually very close in terms of quality and talent.

I'd love it if the Celts just wipe the floor with them in 4 or 5, though.

[RockinRyA]

Bulls in five
*IT gets double-teamed the entire series, which, Marcus Smart interprets as a 'green light' to chuck-at-will
*Horford will do his usual disappearing act
*Marcus Smart will deliver 3-15 shooting each game (or worse)
*AB will pull up lame in game one and miss the remainder of the series
*Jae Crowder, in between timeouts, argues on twitter with C's fans about Gordon Hayward
*Brad Stevens has a stroke mid-game

 

Throw this along your gloom and doom post in the Nets thread.

[mef730]

Celtics in six, although the games will be close. Average margin of win will be about five points.

Rondo is on TV, so he's gonna show up. Jimmy Butler is a star. Dwayne Wade will be tanned and rested, and he will want to take out some frustrations on us.

But we're the better team and match up well with them in the back court, which is obviously their area of strength.

After that, it will be a Boston-Atlanta Super Bowl rematch on the basketball court.

Mike

[straightouttabahstun]

Celtics in 5. We've got momentum and we're clicking finally. Bulls are on a good streak, but if we contain Rondo and Wade, we can let Butler get his numbers and get those W's.

[Who]

Mirotic is the main danger man for Chicago after Butler. His ability to hit the 3 and space the floor from the PF position is their best offensive weapon outside of Butler. He can stretch the Celtics defense out and force Horford to stay out on the perimeter defensively. Or force Boston to go small to matchup against him with more speed.

How well Chicago does against Boston will come down to how well Mirotic plays in the series.

[Phantom255x]

Ugh I wished one of these games would be on ABC (local channel).

Why TNT and ESPN only lol, just like last year. Guess that means online streams again..

Don't have those channels on TV since I truthfully don't watch TV that often and it's smart money-saving  .

[celts10]

Rondo is on TV, so he's gonna show up.

Hmm...Rondo was on TV during his two playoff game stint with the Mavs in 2015 and didn't really show up. 

But in all seriousness, I agree with you. He's in a better situation this time around, facing his former team in the Garden which he made a lot of memories in. I think he has a reason to show up this time.

Hard to believe it's been FIVE YEARS since we last saw "Playoff Rondo." (Not counting his season-ending 2013 injury and his forgettable 'didn't wanna even be there' stint with the Mavericks two years ago)

[Big333223]

Mirotic is the main danger man for Chicago after Butler. His ability to hit the 3 and space the floor from the PF position is their best offensive weapon outside of Butler. He can stretch the Celtics defense out and force Horford to stay out on the perimeter defensively. Or force Boston to go small to matchup against him with more speed.

How well Chicago does against Boston will come down to how well Mirotic plays in the series.

I find this assessment encouraging.

[chilidawg]

Bulls in five
*IT gets double-teamed the entire series, which, Marcus Smart interprets as a 'green light' to chuck-at-will
*Horford will do his usual disappearing act
*Marcus Smart will deliver 3-15 shooting each game (or worse)
*AB will pull up lame in game one and miss the remainder of the series
*Jae Crowder, in between timeouts, argues on twitter with C's fans about Gordon Hayward
*Brad Stevens has a stroke mid-game

You forgot locusts and plagues.

[CelticsElite]

Lets hope rondo accidentally passes the ball to AB if he's in the garden and not focused