FINAL: Boston 117 Bulls 92. (Bulls 10-22, 3-14 on the road)
LEADING SCORERS: Boston: Irving: 25pts. Bulls: Portis: 17pts.
LEADING REBOUNDS: Boston: Theis: 15. Bulls: Mirotic 9.
LEADING ASSISTS: Boston: Irving: 7. Bulls: Dunn: 7.
CCI 24 SECONDS COMMENTARY: The Bulls played an extremely competitive first half. Not so much in the final twenty-four minutes. Boston’s 38-18 scoring advantage in the third quarter, aided by six Bulls’ turnovers, proved to be too much for Fred Hoiberg’s ball club. Irving, Brown and Tatum were impactful; Irving was a + 33. Bobby Portis gave the Bulls a huge lift off the bench, as did Niko Mirotic and David Nwaba. Jerian Grant dished out six assists and scored ten points. The Bulls struggled throughout the game with their inability to finish at the rim. After winning seven straight games, the Bulls now head in to a mini two-day break having lost back to back games against the top two teams in the EC. A positive for the Bulls, they played solid ball for six of the eight quarters on the road, and Coach Hoiberg can build on that as the Bulls prepare for Tuesday’s game at Milwaukee.
LAVINE UPDATE: Head Coach Fred Hoiberg is aiming for December 30 to get six straight practices in for Zach LaVine, to put him in a position to see live game action perhaps as soon as early January.
SANTA’S GIFT LIST: Love, peace, joy and good health for everyone.
NBA NEWS AND NOTES
Golden State’s 11 game win streak is over, as the 26-7 Warriors host the Cavs, Christmas Day. Denver held the Warriors to a season low 81 points. Golden State went 3-27 from three point country.
The red hot Raptors won their tenth straight home game (12-1 on the season), and move to 23-8 with a 16 point win over the 76ers. Toronto is 16-1 vs teams currently under .500. The Raps have won 12 of their last 13.
Dwight Howard with a 21-16 amd 2 blocked shot game, as the Hornets beat the Bucks who played without Giannis (knee).
Victor Oladipo poured in 38 points, as the Pacers climbed to five games over .500, winning in OT over Brooklyn. It’s been more than 35 years since a Pacer scored more than 35 points without committing a turnover. Spencer Dinwiddie with a 26 points 8 assists game drilling 5 - 3s. Oladipo: 24th game with 20 or more points.
The Wizards lit up Orlando with a season high 130 points, shooting 55%. The Magic have dropped eight straight and lost Nic Vucevic for a reported 6-8 weeks with a fractured bone in his left hand.
Hawks-Mavs, somebody had to win. Atlanta gets the W at home 112-107. Dennis Schroeder with 33 points and 7 assists.
The Pelicans enjoyed their mini two game b/b trip in Florida beating the Heat by 15.
Utah has had a most difficult December schedule, and they have three games left until 2018 arrives, but that’s not preventing rookie sensation Donovan Mitchell from making an impact. He scored 29 on the Thunder in Utah’s loss. After the game both Russell Westbrook and Paul George met with him offering respect. The Thunder have quietly put together a four game win streak and 10 of 13, as they collide with Houston on Christmas.
Impressive start lines for Memphis: Tyreke Evans: 30-7-11 assists - 3 steals. Marc Gasol: 17-15 - 4 assists. The Grizzlies beat LAC.
Minnesota now seven games over .500, winning on the road in Phoenix.
Portland can’t win at home, so what happens in LA? They edge the Lakers. Moe Harkless scored 13 of his 22 in the fourth quarter.
San Antonio over the 11-21 Kings.
It’s on! Rockets GM Daryl says the Rockets are obsessed with Golden State. Warriors coach Steve Kerr: "We don’t think about them." Got to love the NBA!
Thanks for reading CCI. Email me at cswirsky@bulls.com or Twitter: @ctsbulls.
Always a pleasure. Go Bulls!