Game 3 of the Eastern Conference first-round playoffs moves to the United Center in Chicago on Saturday, as the red-hot Chicago Bulls face the struggling number 1 seed Boston Celtics. Join The Roar for a live blog of the match, starting from 9am AEST.
The Celtics find themselves in a hole early in the series and will be looking to get on the winners’ board before the series gets any worse for them than it already is. Chicago have outmatched and outsmarted the Celtics in the first two games and will look to continue that trend at home.
The Bulls have been benefiting from what appears to be a fully engaged and committed Rajon Rondo, the same Rajon Rondo who appeared to be more of a detriment to the team in the early portions of this season, Jimmy Butler has also been a big asset to the Bulls and is making the Celtics question themselves for not trying to trade for him before the deadline.
Boston have had some poor performances from a number of players, and with their leader Isaiah Thomas grieving after the loss of his sister before game one, they are lacking a true leadership role within the team. Al Horford has struggled against Robin Lopez and with the smaller Boston lineup, the Bulls have been able to feast on the rebounds.
Isaiah Thomas left game 2 and headed straight to Washington to be with his family, head coach Brad Stevens has named him for the Celtics but he may still miss the game, the Bulls have no worries with injuries so they will be at full strength again in game 3.
Can Boston turn things around away from home and take the series back to Boston for game 5, or will the Bulls heap more pressure on a team already dealing adversity and look to take a commanding 3 game lead in the series.
Prediction
With all the pressure on the Boston Celtics to not become the 6th team to lose a playoff series as the 1 seed against the 8 seed, Chicago will be coming home with one simple goal and that is to close the series out at home, with their distinct advantage on the rebounding end and Rajon Rondo and Jimmy Butler playing at a high level they may be very hard to beat.
Bulls to win and take a 3-0 series lead 98-93.
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Sam Walker
Roar Guru
Boston Crush the Bulls behind hot shooting from beyond the 3 point line. The Boston Celtics cruised past the Chicago Bulls 104 to 87. Chicago had shocked many people by taking both games in Boston as the number 8 seed and the result in this game made it more of a shock. Boston were under pressure to push it to a 5th game in Boston and did not let their fans down. Boston came out on fire in the first quarter getting out to an early lead and never letting up throughout the game. in the first quarter the Celtics scored 7 threes from 11 attempts and were impressive in a number of areas. The Bulls tried to control the rebounds again and were doing a good job of it but an off night from Jimmy Butler hurt. A sloppy second quarter from the Celtics saw the Bulls make a big come back outscoring the Celtics 26 points to 11 in the quarter, Butler was still struggling through out the quarter and had only 2 points going into halftime. Isaiah Thomas was looking his usual dominant self and with some help from Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder they took a 3 point lead at the half. The third quarter was all Boston again much like the first quarter they pushed hard and made everything difficult for the Bulls, Chicago were really struggling to get any coherent movement throughout the game but the 2nd half showed it quite badly, The Bulls had lost Rajon Rondo before the game to a broken thumb and it definitely showed. Missing Rondo's play making skills really hurt the Bulls in particular Jimmy Butler who really feeds off of Rondo's energy and ball movement. Butler did show some signs of life late in the 3rd but it was far too late for the Bulls. The fourth was much better for the Bulls but the Celtics absorbed everything the Bulls threw at them and counter acted with a few punches themselves. Butler continued to get into a bit more of a groove but the Celtics through some good fourth quarter play from Al Horford Isaiah Thomas had enough to cruise to victory. Chicago will now look to regroup before game 4 also in Chicago knowing they are likely without Rondo for the remainder of the series. Boston will want to take game 4 and force at least a 6 game series. Bulls lead the best of 7 series 2-1. Game leaders. Points A. Horford - BOS 18 PTS 8/14 FG 0/0FT D. Wade - Chi 18 PTS 6/18 FG 6/6 FT Rebounds A. HorfordC - BOS 8 REB 5 DREB 3 OREB C. FelicioPF - CHI 11 REB 6 DREB 5 OREB Assists I. Thomas - BOS 9 AST 2 TO D. Wade - CHI 3 AST 1 TO Team Stats FG Made-Attempted Boston 41-86 Chicago 33-84 Field Goal % Boston 47.7 Chicago 39.3 3PT Made-Attempted Boston 17-37 Chicago 6-21 Three Point % Boston 45.9 Chicago 28.6 FT Made-Attempted Boston 5-7 Chicago 15-15 Free Throw % Boston 71.4 Chicago 100.0 Total Rebounds Boston 37 Chicago 52 Offensive Rebounds Boston 7 Chicago 15 Defensive Rebounds Boston 30 Chicago 37 Assists Boston 34 Chicago 14 Steals Boston 11 Chicago 7 Blocks Boston 2 Chicago 8 Total Turnovers Boston 13 Chicago 18 Points Off Turnovers Boston 14 Chicago 23 Fast Break Points Boston 9 Chicago 11 Points in Paint Boston 44 Chicago 44 Personal Fouls Boston 12 Chicago 15
Sam Walker
Roar Guru
Game over. Boston big winners 104 to 87 over the Chicago Bulls. Boston now take a game back in the series 2-1.
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Roar Guru
Jerebko with the layup. Chicago 87 Boston 104 10 seconds remaining.
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Roar Guru
Morrow with a 2. Chicago 87 Boston 102 under a minute to go.
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Roar Guru
Rozier heat check for 3 and it falls. Cameron Payne not to be outdone drops a 3 of his own. Timeout Celtics. Chicago Bulls 85 Boston Celtics 102 1:31 4th q.
Sam Walker
Roar Guru
Bulls have their bench unit out and it has worked with Valentine getting a 3 to drop. Rozier gets the Celtics fans in the building excited with a nice dunk, Bulls follow it up with a Morrow deep 2. Chicago Bulls 82 Boston Celtics 99 1:52 4th q.
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Crowder with the wide open dunk on the breakaway. 20 point lead again for the Celtics. Chicago Bulls 77 Boston Celtics 97 4:11 4th q.
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Zipser with the 2nd chance points. Isaiah Thomas scores off a nice floating shot, Chicago Bulls 77 Boston Celtics 95 4:11 4th q.
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Terry Rozier with a 3 pointer over Paul Zipser. Jimmy Butler with another long range 2. Al Horford with the layup. Chicago Bulls 75 Boston Celtics 93 5:35 4th q.
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Mirotic with the layup off the Zipser assist. Time out Celtics Chicago Bulls 73 Boston Celtics 88 6:32 4th q.
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Bradley nothing but net from 3. Jimmy Butler with a deep 2. Chicago Bulls 71 Boston Celtics 88 6:39 4th q.
Sam Walker
Roar Guru
Jerebko with another layup after some good ball movement from the Celtics. Hoiberg has seen enough and calls a time out for the Bulls. Chicago 69 Boston 85 8:25 4th q
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Big rebound from Marcus Smart against the much bigger Bulls players. Jerebko gets a nice little up and under for the Celtics. Chicago 69 Boston 83 8:45 4th q
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Wade to Butler for the Slam Jimmy now has double digits after starting slowly. Chicago 69 Boston 81 9:33 4th q
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Smart makes 2 free throws. Wade gets a layup at the other end. Olynyk drains a 3. Chicago 67 Boston 81 9:50 4th q
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Wade gets fouled and he is off to the line for 2. Makes both. Chicago Bulls 65 Boston Celtics 76 11:13 4th q
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Roar Guru
3rd q underway.
Sam Walker
Roar Guru
Almost a carbon copy of the first quarter, The Celtics were well on top in that quarter while the Bulls struggled to get any offense going. Horford and Thomas were great in that quarter for Boston, on the Bulls side Jimmy Butler started to show signs of waking up late in that 3rd quarter.
Sam Walker
Roar Guru
Olynyk gets a layup and that is the final score of the game as the Bulls miss a shot on the buzzer. Chicago Bulls 63 Boston Celtics 76 end 3rd q.
Sam Walker
Roar Guru
Smart nails a 3 and then Butler gets his 3rd straight Bulls bucket. Chicago Bulls 63 Boston Celtics 74 :21 3rd q.