Celtics Facing Tougher Task With Bulls in Boston

After hitting the road for one night only — heading south to East Rutherford to humiliate the Nets on their home floor — it’s back home and back to work for the Celtics.
At the Garden on Thursday, they’ll take on a Chicago Bulls squad that hasn’t faced a winning team in 10 days. The Celtics will be a challenge for them, but then again, these aren’t the C’s at full strength. Every day is a new challenge for a Boston lineup that’s still without Kevin Garnett.

When and Where

Thursday, Jan. 14, 8 p.m. ET
TD Garden, Boston, Mass.

Records

Celtics (27-10, first place in Atlantic Division, second place in Eastern Conference)
Bulls (16-20, second place in Central Division, eighth place in Eastern Conference)

Head to Head

These two teams may have tangled in an epic seven-game playoff series last spring, but they aren’t evenly matched anymore. The C’s are 2-0 against Chicago this season, and neither game was close — they won 118-90 at home on Oct. 30, and then 106-80 at the United Center on Dec. 12. Doc Rivers‘ boys have figured things out now — they don’t care where they are, they just win.

Skinny

Last season, the Bulls earned themselves a first-round meeting with the Celtics by finishing seventh in the Eastern Conference rat race — this year, they’ll be lucky to finish that high again. The Bulls have slipped a bit this season offensively, and they’ll have to fight tooth and nail to earn themselves a playoff spot in 2010. Being 0-2 against Boston certainly doesn’t help.

Starting Lineups

Celtics
Point guard: Rajon Rondo
Shooting guard: Ray Allen
Small forward: Paul Pierce
Power forward: Brian Scalabrine
Center: Kendrick Perkins

Bulls
Point guard: Derrick Rose
Shooting guard: John Salmons
Small forward: Luol Deng
Power forward: Tyrus Thomas
Center: Joakim Noah

Stat Sheet

Celtics
The Celtics are 11-5 at home.

They are shooting 35.6 percent from 3-point range this season, just barely above the league average of 35.1 percent.

Ray Allen has attempted 174 threes this season — he took over the team lead just this week from Rasheed Wallace (171).

Paul Pierce is shooting 85.3 percent from the free-throw line, a career best.

Kendrick Perkins had five blocks against the Nets on Wednesday night, moving him back into the NBA’s top five, in a tie for fifth with the Clippers’ Marcus Camby.

Rajon Rondo had 11 points and 14 assists against the Nets, his 17th double-double of the season.

Glen Davis averages 9.9 rebounds per 36 minutes; Shelden Williams averages 9.5. Both rank ahead of Kevin Garnett (8.9) and Rasheed Wallace (7.0).

Bulls
The Bulls are 3-13 on the road this season. Only the New Jersey Nets have fewer road wins (1).

They have 1,623 total rebounds this season, putting them 11th in the NBA.

Joakim Noah ranks second in the NBA with 12.2 rebounds per game, right behind Orlando’s Dwight Howard.

John Salmons leads the Bulls with 53 steals.

Luol Deng is a team-best 40.0 percent from 3-point range — he’s made 14 of 35 attempts from deep.

Derrick Rose averages 6.0 assists and 2.8 turnovers per game.

Tyrus Thomas averages 13.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game against the Celtics.

Black and Blue

Celtics
Rasheed Wallace is out with a sore left foot.

Kevin Garnett is out with a hyperextended right knee. He will likely miss another week.

Marquis Daniels is out with a thumb injury. Doc Rivers says he projects to be back in the lineup right after the All-Star break.

Bulls
Taj Gibson is questionable with plantar fasciitis in his left foot.

Jerome James underwent right Achilles surgery in October and is out indefinitely.

Tyrus Thomas, who underwent surgery on his left forearm in November, returned on Dec. 26.

This Date in Celtics History

In 1966, the Celtics lose to Wilt Chamberlain and the Philadelphia 76ers,112-110 in Philadelphia. The Sixers’ win begins a streak of 38 consecutive home wins, an NBA record that stands until 1987 when Boston completes a streak of 38 straight.

Overheard

“At this point, I just try to use my strengths against other centers defensively. It’s a tough deal every night.”
–Kendrick Perkins, in Wednesday’s Boston Globe, on his changing game in the absence of Kevin Garnett and Rasheed Wallace

Press Box

Celtics
The Celtics coasted through Jersey.

Kendrick Perkins carries the load.

Doc Rivers gets fined.

Bulls
Taj Gibson plays through pain.

John Salmons finds his range.

Joakim Noah is on the rise.

NBA
The Rockets won in triple overtime.

Blake Griffin‘s season is over.

The Magic take a chemistry test.

Outlook

The Celtics are suffering defensively without Kevin Garnett and Rasheed Wallace, but hey — they had neither of them last spring in the playoffs, and they prevailed in a seven-game series. There’s no reason to think they can’t win another one here. The Bulls are having a down year offensively without Ben Gordon around, and the C’s just might be able to survive this one without KG, their defensive backbone. Look for the energy of Rajon Rondo and Paul Pierce to make the difference in this one, just as it did on Wednesday.