2009 Playoffs First Round: Bulls vs. Celtics Preview

April 18th, 2009 by Andrew Wamboldt

The Chicago Bulls will take on the defending champion Boston Celtics in the first round of the 2009 NBA Playoffs in the second versus seventh matchup. Last time the Bulls were in the playoffs, they knocked off the defending champion Miami Heat in the first round in one sweeping motion. The Bulls have a very good shot at winning this series. This is because Kevin Garnett is said to be missing the entire first round, at the very least, of the playoffs.

Season Series

October 31st, 2008 - Chicago Bulls 80 at Boston Celtics 96: In the Bulls’ second game of the season they lost in embarrassing fashion to the Celtics. Tyrus Thomas infamously shot 2-17, missing jumpshot after jumpshot. Derrick Rose was solid, scoring 18 points, and Ben Gordon added 11 points. Gordon was still playing smaller minutes off the bench at this point. The Celtics distributed the scoring and played great defense to get the easy victory.

December 19th, 2008 - Chicago Bulls 108 at Boston Celtics 126: In this December game, in which the Bulls did not have Kirk Hinrich, the Bulls proved that they could get out and score against the Celtics. Unfortunately, the Bulls had a defensive lapse in the third quarter, allowing Boston to score 41 points, and that is what did in the Bulls. Kendrick Perkins exploded for 25 points and Ray Allen put in 27 points as the Celtics blew out the Bulls.

March 17th, 2009 - Chicago Bulls 127 vs. Boston Celtics 121: In this late March matchup, the Bulls edged out the Bulls behind a big 38 point game from John Salmons. The other former King, Brad Miller was great, finishing with 21 points and 14 rebounds. Paul Pierce had 37 points for the Celtics, hitting big shot after big shot, and Rajon Rondo had a 26 point 10 assist double double. This is the matchup that is the most similar to what we will see in the playoffs, as the Bulls had Salmons and Miller, and the Celtics were without Garnett. Once again, the Bulls proved they could score on the Celtic’s defense.

Keys to the Series

Ben Gordon - Ben Gordon needs to have a strong series against the Celtics, or at least four really strong games, if the Bulls have any hope of beating the Celtics. Ben Gordon has struggled against this current Celtic’s team, but is known for playing big when it matters most. In the first round of the 2007 NBA Playoffs, Ben Gordon averaged 25.5 PPG and 5.5 APG as the Bulls swept the Miami Heat. If Gordon has another big series like that, the Bulls stand a good chance to win the series. If not, the Bulls will surely lose.

Play Defense, Grab Rebounds - The Bulls proved one thing during the regular season, and that is that Thibodeau’s defense is no match for the offensive prowess of Vinny Del Negro’s Bulls. The problem is that the Celtics were able to beat or play the robust Bulls’ offense close, as the Bulls failed to get stops and secure rebounds. If the Bulls can keep the Celtic’s main three to their season averages, they stand a good chance of winning. If they continue to let the Celtics’ big three explode for big games, then the Celtics will probably outscore the Bulls in a few of the games, even in a shootout with the Bulls’ offense on fire.

Battle of the Front Courts - Boston has one of those front courts, even without Garnett, that could give the Bulls trouble. Brad Miller, Joakim Noah, and Tyrus Thomas need to body up the Celtics’ big men, and secure rebounds. The Celtics have those big men with big wide bodies who get after the rebounds that give the Bulls trouble.

John Salmons’ Groin - Which John Salmons will the Bulls get in the playoffs? Salmonella, who infects other teams with losses, or Johnny Fish out of water? Salmons struggled down the stretch, but has had a few off days to hopefully recover a little bit more from his injury. If Salmons can get close to the level he was playing before the injury, the Bulls odds of winning will greatly improve.

Derrick Rose - In the 2004 NBA Playoffs, rookie Dwyane Wade took steps towards stardom as he led the Heat to the second round, beating the New Orleans Hornets in the first round of the playoffs? Can Rose take similar steps towards superstardom in this series? I think offensively, yes, he stepped up in the month of April, averaging 19.5 PPG and 7.5 APG in the Bulls’ six April games. Defensively, I think he will struggle guarding Rajon Rondo.

Prediction

Celtics in 7 games.

I think the Bulls will play some good basketball in this series, but that they will come up short, on the road in game seven. I think Derrick Rose and Ben Gordon will have some big games in the series, helping the Bulls get victories by themselves. I think Salmons will have a big game or two, but will also have some games where he brings nothing, because of his groin injury. Paul Pierce will probably have a great series scoring the ball, as Salmons is in no condition to play great defense against Pierce. But I think the Bulls will lose the series is in the front court, as the Bulls will give up too many second chance points as they let the Celtics’ wide bodies get too many offensive rebounds.