Bulls-Celtics Preview

By ALAN FERGUSON
Posted Jan 12 2012 2:30PM

The Chicago Bulls managed to get along without Derrick Rose in their most recent game, but they surely hope to get back the reigning MVP for their next one.

After beating the league's worst team to conclude a hectic stretch, the Bulls will try to earn a rare road win over the Boston Celtics on Friday night.

With Rose hampered by a sprained big left toe before Wednesday's game, Chicago (10-2) opted to have him sit out as the team played its third game in three nights and hosted a Washington team with the NBA's worst record.

With backup point guard C.J. Watson (elbow) also out, John Lucas III got his first career start in place of Rose and scored a career-high 25 points in a 78-64 victory. He also had personal bests of eight rebounds and eight assists, helping the Bulls complete a three-day, three-game sweep.

"Obviously, we like it better when Derrick plays, but we feel we have a lot of confidence," swingman Kyle Korver told the team's website. "We've got a lot of guys who can step in and play. We've got a pretty rugged group."

Following a day of rest and with a seemingly tougher matchup Friday, the Bulls are looking for a quick return from Rose. That possibility will be contingent upon the pain in his toe subsiding, coach Tom Thibodeau said Wednesday.

"He's gotten a lot of treatment. He usually responds very well to treatment," Thibodeau said.

Rose has averaged 28.6 points over his past five games against Boston and scored 30 or more in each of the final two meetings last season as the Bulls won both. However, those two games came in Chicago after the Bulls had lost both visits to Boston, where the Celtics have won 10 of the past 12 meetings - including playoffs.

With the status of Rose and Richard Hamilton (groin) uncertain, Boston (4-5) is certainly the healthier team but off to a much more inconsistent start.

The Celtics have dropped consecutive games - both at home - since winning four in a row. That win streak followed the franchise's first 0-3 start since 2006-07.

While fatigue could have played a factor during an 87-74 loss to Indiana last Friday, Boston got four days off before a 90-85 loss to Dallas on Wednesday.

The Celtics again got off to a slow start as they scored 15 points in the first quarter, one shy of their fewest in that period this season. They had 25 points in the first half against the Pacers, their eighth game in 13 days.

Boston still managed to tie Wednesday's game with 25 seconds left, but Rajon Rondo turned the ball over following the Mavericks' go-ahead basket with 5.1 to go.

Rondo scored 24 points, and coach Doc Rivers said he needs to keep performing at that kind of level offensively with some of his other stars struggling for consistency.

Paul Pierce has 17 points over the past two games after scoring 45 in his previous two, and Ray Allen was held to a season-low nine points Wednesday.

"This is his (Rondo's) team right now, until everybody else gets it going," Rivers said. "We need him to be aggressive. We need to be a scorer. And attack. That's a change, but that's what it is right now until everybody else gets it going, because they are not."

Rondo has only averaged 9.2 points in his last five matchups with the Bulls.

Joakim Noah has double-doubles in his last four visits to Boston but has been struggling, averaging 4.2 points on 30.4 percent shooting in his last five games. He needed his sore left thumb taped in the first half Wednesday and played seven minutes in the second half, none in the fourth quarter.

Carlos Boozer also was benched for the final period and finished with a season-low four points after scoring seven in Tuesday's win at Minnesota.

Rose scores 25 on return, Bulls top Celtics 88-79

By HOWARD ULMAN
Posted Jan 14 2012 12:11AM

BOSTON (AP) The Chicago Bulls let a 20-point lead drop to one before Derrick Rose decided to take control, sore toe and all.

The NBA's reigning MVP knew he had to make the shot after Paul Pierce missed a jumper that would have given the Boston Celtics their first lead.

"That was my whole mindset, just getting to the hole if I was close enough to shoot the floater," Rose said after the Bulls won 88-79 Friday night. "Just making sure that I was aggressive."

He made the layup, the Celtics missed their next shot, and Rose followed with two free throws. Suddenly, the Bulls led 71-66 with 8:30 remaining and stayed in front by at least five points the rest of the way.

Rose had missed Wednesday's 78-64 win over the Washington Wizards with a sprained left big toe. But he wasn't fully recovered when he scored 25 points to lead Chicago to its 10th win in 11 games and an NBA-best 11-2 record.

He said he was tentative at first to see how his toe felt but became comfortable midway through the first period.

Any pain?

"Not really," said Rose, who had 12 points after the lead fell to one. "It's probably because my adrenaline was going and I wanted to win."

He had plenty of help.

Luol Deng had 21 points and 16 rebounds and played outstanding defense on Pierce, who missed nine of 12 shots. Carlos Boozer and Ronnie Brewer scored 12 each and Joakim Noah added 10 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks.

"I said before the game we would need everybody and we did," Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. "I thought our starters played terrific. I thought our defense was very good."

Ray Allen scored 16 for Boston and Rajon Rondo had 14 points and 11 assists.

Boston lost its third straight game, all at home, and fell to 4-6.

"We're still young in the season and by no means is it discouraging," Allen said. "We know what's in us and we know what this team is capable of."

The Bulls led 52-33 at halftime and 61-41 on Deng's jumper from the top of the key with 7:20 left in the third quarter.

"I love what I saw in the second half," Boston coach Doc Rivers said. "My question to them: Why did it take so long?"

The Celtics finally came to life, outscoring the Bulls 18-6 to close the gap to 67-59 after three quarters. It was 67-53 with two minutes left before Jermaine O'Neal and Rondo scored on layups and O'Neal made a slam dunk on a feed from Allen.

The Celtics kept rolling by scoring the first seven points of the fourth quarter on Garnett's short turnaround, Allen's 12-foot bank shot and a 3-pointer by Mickael Pietrus that made it 67-66 and capped a 13-0 run spanning the third and fourth quarters.

"We got stops and the ball was moving," Rivers said. "When we got down everyone decided they were going to win the game for us. And, when that happens, you usually lose."

After Pierce missed his shot and Rose scored four straight points, Kevin Garnett responded with a short jumper, but Rose came through again with a 3-pointer for a 74-68 lead with 7:30 remaining.

"They were giving me the shot," Rose said. "I probably was out a little bit further than I normally am, but they didn't come and contest and I was just shooting. My teammates have confidence in me. They see how hard I work on my shot and my game. And at the end of the game like that when situations happen, they're going to give me the ball."

Boston still had a chance at 80-71, but Brewer and Rose fit one field goal each, building the lead to 84-73 with 2:10 to play.

"They made their run, we missed shots, but we just got in our huddle and talked about defense," Deng said.

The Bulls dominated early and led by their biggest margin of the first half, 19 points, at intermission. They outshot the Celtics 54.1 percent to 33.3 and outrebounded them 31-15.

"The last couple of games we've gotten off to poor starts," Pierce said. "(We) have to scratch and claw our way back and exert so much energy that by the time we catch up with them our guys are tired and can't get over the hump."

NOTES: Boston backup G Keyon Dooling missed the game with a right knee injury and was expected to sit out Saturday night's game at Indiana. .... With 8:38 left in the second period, Chicago led 30-13 and had made 13 of 24 shots while Boston made five of 26. ... Deng had a double-double at halftime with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Notebook: Bulls 88, Celtics 79

By Brian Robb, for NBA.com
Posted Saturday January 14, 2012 12:04AM

THE FACTS: Derrick Rose scored 12 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, helping the Chicago Bulls fend off a fourth quarter rally by the Boston Celtics and hold on for an 88-79 win. The Bulls led by as many as 20 points in the third quarter, but the C's fought back, cutting Chicago's edge to one with 10 minutes remaining in the game, before the defending MVP took over. Rose showed no effects of a turf toe injury that forced him to sit out his last game, leading a balanced Chicago attack late to finish with seven assists and four rebounds along with his game-high 25 points. Luol Deng and Joakim Noah chipped in with double-doubles in the fourth straight victory for the Bulls. Rajon Rondo finished with 14 points and 11 assists for the C's, who have now dropped three straight games for the second time this season.

QUOTABLE: "I think he's gotten very comfortable with all types of defenses now. He knows where the holes are. He gets an open shot or a good look or he'll create an open look for one of his teammates and I think that comes from experience."
-- Head coach Tom Thibodeau on Derrick Rose's offense.

THE STAT: The Celtics dug themselves a hole in the early stages of the first half offensively they were unable to fully recover from. Over the first 16 minutes of the game, Boston scored a mere 13 points, on 5-of-26 (19.2 percent) shooting from the field, continuing their pattern of slow offensive starts this season.

TURNING POINT: After Boston cut a 20-point Bulls lead to one early in the fourth quarter, Rose asserted control of his team's offense, scoring seven straight points for the Bulls to push the lead back up to eight with six minutes remaining. Boston was unable to close the deficit below six during the rest of the night as Chicago buckled down their defense and continued to hit clutch shots to keep the C's at bay.

HOT: Carlos Boozer -- The veteran power forward scored from all over the floor in the first half, hitting six of his first eight field goal attempts for 12 points to help Chicago build an big early lead.

NOT: Paul Pierce -- The Celtics' captain continues to struggle as he tries to work himself into game shape after missing nearly three weeks with a heel injury. The All-Star missed eight of his shots tonight, and finished with just 13 points and only one rebound. Over the past three games, the small forward has hit just 23.5 percent (8-of-34) of his attempts from the field.

QUOTABLE II: ""I have to play better for us to win ball games and I realize that. Right now we're going through a little lull, and we've just got to get through it."
-- Pierce.

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: Deng -- The former Duke star finished with a double-double in the first half on his way to a monster night for the visitors. Deng finished with 21 points and 16 rebounds as he continues to show himself as one of the best rebounding small forwards in the league.

NOTABLE: Brandon Bass earned the surprise start at center in place of Jermaine O'Neal. He finished with 10 points and nine rebounds in 22 minutes in a move that may become permanent according to head coach Doc Rivers. O'Neal played 22 minutes off the bench. The Bulls played once again without C.J. Watson (elbow) and Richard Hamilton (groin). Watson could return to action later this weekend according to Thibodeau. For the second straight game, the Celtics were dominated in second chance points 24-14. Rondo was whistled for his fourth technical of the season with 2:17 remaining the 2nd quarter. The Celtics never led during the contest. Former fan favorite Brian Scalabrine earned a rousing ovation from the TD Garden upon entering the game with under a minute remaining the first quarter. Keyon Dooling did not suit up for Boston due to a sore right knee. He will miss Saturday's contest in Indiana as well, but hopes to return for Monday's tilt with the Thunder. Chicago outrebounded Boston 46-34. Chicago now has the best record in the NBA at 11-2.

UP NEXT: For the Bulls, Saturday vs. Toronto, Monday @ Memphis, Tuesday vs. Phoenix. For the Celtics, Saturday @ Indiana, Monday vs. Oklahoma City, Wednesday vs. Toronto.

• Bulls: Watson
• Celtics: Dooling, Pavlovic

• Bulls: --
• Celtics: Rondo

• Lead Changes: 0
• Times Tied: 0

• Arena: TD Garden, Boston, MA
• Officials: #40 Leon Wood, #23 Jason Phillips, #45 Brian Forte
• Attendance: 18624
• Duration: 2:21