Daily Bulls

The Chicago Bulls will look to beat the Boston Celtics twice in 11 days in a Friday night matchup on ESPN, 6:30 CT. On October 24th, after a rough start, Chicago led by their bench to get back in the game and take off. Chicago would go on to beat Boston 120-102 at the United Center. The Celtics will be looking for revenge tonight in their home area.

Matchup to Watch

Jayson Tatum vs Patrick Williams

Patrick Williams gets another tough assignment against one of the best forwards in the NBA, Jayson Tatum. So far this season, Tatum is averaging 30.1 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 3.9 assists in seven games. In the first matchup between these teams, Tatum dropped 26 points but went 8-for-18 from the field. He became cold in the fourth quarter, getting a disappointing three points on 1-for-3 shooting. Expect that change tonight in the TD Garden.

Patrick Williams has been trending in the right direction averaging 14.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks in his last two games. He has been involved more often in the offense with the starters, getting nine shots on Tuesday and ten last night. Though the last time he faced Boston, he scored four points.

Keys to the Game

Lavine, DeRozan bounce back

If you want to beat the best in the NBA, you need your stars to shine, especially on the road in a tough environment. DeMar DeRozan and Zach Lavine must step up tonight in the Garden. Lavine and DeRozan last night scored a combined 19 points and shot 6-for-27 from the field. The good news is DeRozan, in the first matchup, dropped 25 points, and Chicago has had time to rest before tonight’s matchup in Boston.

Defend the Three

Defending the three has been a challenge for the Bulls in all nine games this season. The Bulls have allowed opponents to shoot 40% from deep. While the Celtics at home have shot 40%, which is in the top half of the NBA. There are times when teams will get hot out of nowhere, and when you look at the scoreboard, a team goes up by double-digits.

The three shooters for Boston to defend at all times are Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Derrick White. All players are shooting at least 40% from three at home. Another Celtics guard who could go lights off is Malcolm Brogdon, who shoots 50% from deep. Entering Friday, Boston is shooting 38% from deep, the eighth-best in the NBA.

Good Start

At the beginning of the season, Chicago never got out to good starts, and it became a terrible habit. On October 24th, Chicago got outscored 35-16 within the first 9:12 minutes of the game. If the first game had been played in Boston, that game could have resulted in a loss. Tonight’s game could be a potential playoff matchup if Chicago plays with their high energy against the defending Eastern Conference Champions, the Boston Celtics. The Bulls, in the first quarter, have been trending in the right direction, but with a good start and making the Celtics fans quiet early, that can help significantly in winning in Boston.

Injury Report

Bulls

Player	Injury	Status
Lonzo Ball	Knee	Out
Andre Drummond	Shoulder	Out
Coby White	Quad	Out

Celtics

Player	Injury	Status
Robert Williams III	Knee	Out
Danilo Gallinari	Knee	Out

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