The 2009-10 Bulls could not hold a candle to Boston's powerful offensive attack at the TD Garden on Friday night, dropping a 118-90 contest as the Celtics improved to 3-0.
Boston went into halftime with a 15-point lead that it extended to 30 points by the end of the third period, spearheaded by a 22-point, eight-rebound performance by Paul Pierce. The rest of the Big 3 did not disappoint — Kevin Garnett tallied 16 points and Ray Allen added 20 — while Eddie House chipped in 22 points off the bench. The Celtics defense proved itself once again after dismantling the Bobcats on Thursday, holding the Bulls to 29 percent from the field in the first half and 41.5 percent overall.
Celtics 118, Bulls 90
TD Garden, Boston, Mass.
October 30, 2009
Headliner: We all know that Boston loves Eddie House and Eddie House loves Boston, but nights like Friday prove why. The sharp-shooting reserve came off the bench to tie Paul Pierce for a game-high 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting in 21 minutes. House sunk four 3-pointers and complemented big performances by Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett.
Unsung Hero: That Celtics defense looked even better than it did against the Bobcats — except this is supposed to be a much better team. After holding Chicago to a 28.9 clip from the field in the first half, the C's victimized the Bulls further in the second half, opening up a huge lead while forcing the Bulls into 15 turnovers, 10 of which came in the first half. Boston's D held superstar point guard Derrick Rose to just 10 points and out-rebounded the Bulls 42-36.
Scrub: On a night when the Bulls were playing like a team that had been up half the night because of a fire alarm in their hotel (yes, that actually happened), Joakim Noah was perhaps the sole person in red who played with a little life. Unfortunately, his composure still needs some work. He led all Bulls scorers with 16 points with 10 rebounds, but a second-quarter technical foul for slapping the ball away from Kendrick Perkins after the whistle was blown perfectly epitomized the Bulls' frustration. As the team leader on a rough night, he shouldn't have let it show; at that point, there was still time to turn things around.
Turning Point: After heading into halftime with a 15-point lead, the Celtics came out of the gates strong in the third quarter. Just over two minutes into the period, Allen buried a three from the corner right in front of Chicago's bench, and on the next possession, he buried another one, helping Boston extend its lead to 23 points, its largest of the game. From there, the Celtics would go on a tear and enter the fourth quarter with an insurmountable 27-point lead.
Up Next: The Green will take the day off on Halloween before returning to action on Sunday for a matchup against New Orleans at the Garden. Prior to Friday evening's game against Sacramento, the Hornets were still in search of their first win of the year.
In Wednesday's loss to San Antonio, superstar center Emeka Okafor registered 18 points on 8-for-14 shooting with 10 rebounds, but he is listed as day-to-day with a toe injury and could be limited in minutes on Sunday.
