Bulls Face Celtics Again In NBA Cup After 35-Point Loss

David Butler II-Imagn ImagesIt is scary to think the Chicago Bulls must play the Boston Celtics again so soon after getting crushed. The teams met on Monday when Boston won 134-99, and now they face off on Friday night for the NBA Cup. That first game was a blowout where the Celtics led by 40 points and never trailed. The Bulls have to win this one to prove they can handle the pressure of a tournament game. Per Sports Illustrated, this matchup marks Boston’s first group-play game of the tournament. The Bulls were 1-4 after five games. while Boston sits at 3-1. The Bench That Changed EverythingThe most shocking part of the Monday game was not the stars but the substitutes. The Celtics bench scored 79 points while the Bulls struggled to keep up. Payton Pritchard went 7-for-10 from three-point range to score 28 points. He hit 5 of 5 shots in the third quarter alone. Jayson Tatum recorded 23 points and six assists. Boston shot 47.7 percent from deep, making 21 of 44 attempts. They held Chicago to just 12 of 44 from three. The Celtics turned Bulls mistakes into 39 points with 14 steals. Fixing the Turnover ProblemThe Bulls cannot afford to give the ball away like they did on Monday. Live-ball turnovers led to a big second-quarter run by the Bulls. Although dead-ball turnovers were damaging, the Celtics will accept them provided they occur in good faith. Joe Mazzulla said, “A lot of them are trying to make the right play.” He noted that playing fast in transition creates potential for more turnovers. The coach wants his team to keep repping the plays as long as they have the right intention. Boston needs crisp execution and precision to repeat the blowout win. They cannot just count on Pritchard getting hot again. For the Celtics, this marks the initial contest among eight games played over 13 nights.Big Men: Chemistry and Health Now that Mitchell Robinson is in better shape, the Celtics need time to work out their timing issues. Hauser added that Robinson has gotten better over four games with what the team asks him to do. He sets screens, stays active on defense, and rebounds. On the Bulls side, Nic Claxton is out with a hamstring injury but has started conditioning. Patrick Williams, Tobe Awaka, and Jalen Smith are all questionable for Friday night. Boston cannot come into this game overconfident or thinking they will breeze to another 35-point win.