Chicago Bulls defeat Boston Celtics 97-81: NBA Recap
The Chicago Bulls took full advantage of their home court advantage and thrashed the visiting Boston Celtics 97-81 at United Centre on Thursday night.
The Bulls are flying high with an impressive home record of 35-5 during the 2010-11 season. Chicago now just need one more victory to confirm top spot in the National Basketball Association's (NBA) Eastern Conference standings. The Bulls lead the East with
58 wins for the season.
The Bulls have won 17 of their last 19 games and are four games ahead of the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics.
Guard Derrick Rose proved himself a strong contender for the Most Valuable Player (MVP) prize, as he once again rocked the court with his breath-taking shots and spectacular rebounds. He finished with a game-high 30 points, eight assists, five rebounds and
two steals in the victory.
Forward Luol Deng added 23 points and six rebounds, while Carlos Boozer chipped in with 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Bulls, who won their fifth consecutive game. Paul Pierce posted 15 points and four rebounds for the Celtics, who have lost five of their
last 10 games.
Forwards Kevin Garnett and Jeff Green posted 10 points each for Boston while Garnett also grabbed 10 rebounds in the defeat.
Match Analysis
The opening quarter was a one-man performance, as Rose led all scorers with 10 points to give the Bulls a 26-18 lead going into the second. Boston responded with a 7-3 run early in the second quarter to cut their eight-point first quarter deficit to 33-29.
However, Chicago managed to carry a 48-43 advantage into half time.
The Celtics then scored six consecutive points in the opening minute of the third quarter to make it 49-48. Chicago, on the other hand, got their rhythm back and extended their lead to 71-60 after three quarters. The Bulls continued to play offensively in
the fourth quarter and maintained their double figure lead throughout the quarter to seal another home victory.
Chicago coach Tom Thibodeau attributed the Bulls drastic improvement in their last 10 games to their offensive play. He said, "I think offensively, we've been pretty good for about 10 games now. Defensively, we've been sporadic. We have played well the first
half, not well in the second half. I thought tonight was more of a complete game for us."
Playoff positioning in the East will be on the line tonight when Chicago will take on the woeful Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. A win for the Bulls would ensure they finish in first place in the East.
Although Chicago is in a strong position in the Eastern Conference, coach Thibodeau said that they could not take the Cavaliers easily, as every game is important for them.
He said, "I'm just thinking about the next one. You guys may think it is a cliché and maybe it is a cliché, but it is what's important. The Cleveland game is just as important as this game. It is actually more important now because this one is gone. "
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