NBA Playoffs

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Bulls And Michelob Ultra Host Playoffs Game 5 Watch Party At Old Town Pour House

bulls Marketing

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Bulls And Michelob Ultra Host Playoffs Game 2 Watch Party At Recess

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Bulls And Michelob Ultra Host Playoffs Game 1 Watch Party At Recess

The Chicago Bulls announced today the launch of its 2022 NBA playoff campaign, SEE RED,
  presented by BMO. The Bulls
  will tip off the First Round on the road against the Milwaukee Bucks and return to the United Center on Friday, April
  22 at 7:30 p.m. CT for game three and Sunday, April 24 at 12 p.m. CT for game four. Highlights of the campaign include
  themed giveaways, special-edition retail items, artist collaborations, road game watch parties and in-arena
  activations and performances. Fans are encouraged to show their support for the team by wearing red on all home
  gamedays.

Single-game tickets for 2022 NBA Playoffs Bulls home games in the First and Second Round are on sale now via Bulls.com
  and at the United Center Box Office. Bulls 2022-23 Season Tickets are also available. Fans who purchase new full
  season ticket plans will have guaranteed access to tickets for all Bulls home games during the 2022 NBA Playoffs.

The team will bring the campaign to life inside the United Center by turning arena graphics and lighting red and
  debuting SEE RED scoreboard video features. The Bulls Kid Nation Zone presented by BMO
  located at Section 326 will
  have special SEE RED themed activities and giveaways for youth. Fans can also expect
  special performances from Benny
  the Bull, Bulls DJs and the Luvabulls. The 312 Crew will also make an appearance, sporting new SEE RED branded gear
  designed by Don C, world-renowned streetwear designer and the Bulls’ new Creative Strategy and Design Advisor. SEE RED
  halftime shows will feature performances by Red Panda, Amazing Sladek and others.

While supplies last, fans attending home games will receive SEE RED hat and t-shirt
  giveaways, both of which were
  designed by local artist Sergio Farfán, who also collaborated with the Bulls for the 2021-22 BMO Artist Hat Series.
  The SEE RED BMO Artist Hat giveaway will also be available for purchase at the Madhouse
  Team Store in the United
  Center atrium, with proceeds benefiting Chicago Bulls Charities. Fans can purchase additional campaign-branded retail
  items, including the exclusive 1966 x SEE RED Capsule Collection, at the Madhouse Team
  Store.

As a continuation of its youth engagement efforts, the Bulls will host a playoffs party on Thursday, April 21 for
  students at Chicago Bulls College Prep. The night will include food and beverage provided by Portillo’s and Garrett
  Popcorn and entertainment from Benny the Bull, Bulls DJs and the Incredibulls. Starting Thursday, April 14, the Bulls
  will also run a Playoff Ticket Raffle via Bulls.com/Raffle for a chance to
  win a pair of 100-level tickets for each
  Playoff home game. All proceeds will benefit Chicago Bulls Charities. The winner for each game will be announced on
  the Bulls Community Twitter account 48 hours before gameday. Fans must be 18 years or older to purchase raffle
  tickets.

To further promote the campaign, the Bulls and BMO have teamed up with local and international artists to design a
  unique content series to be featured across Bulls platforms on all Bulls home and road gamedays.

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Bulls ‘SEE RED’ Campaign Returns For 2022 NBA Playoffs

The clock is ticking down … It’s do or die time … There’s no tomorrow … You gotta leave it all out on the floor … Our backs are up against a wall …

Welcome to Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals between the Chicago Bulls and Boston Celtics taking place deep in the heartland of sports clichés!

While Boston clearly has momentum on its side after posting three straight double-digit victories and can advance to the next round with another win tonight, the cold-hearted truth is … It ain’t over ‘til it’s over!

Ah, I bet you thought I’d run out of corniness? Well, it is what it is — I got a million of ‘em!

For the Bulls, the road to redemption rolls down West Madison Street and ends at the doorstep of the United Center this evening. Once again, they will be forced to take the floor without veteran floor general, Rajon Rondo, who is still attempting to recover from a broken right thumb suffered late in Game 2 last week in Boston. When Rondo was behind the wheel and driving the Bulls’ bus during the opening two games of this series, Chicago’s offense was running smooth as silk, averaging 108.5 points, 25 assists and knocking down shots at a 46.9 percent clip. However, since he’s been sidelined Chicago’s attack has derailed, as the Bulls are notching just 93 points, 19 assists and shooting a rather pedestrian 43.6 percent from the field.

Although Rondo will walk through “that door” tonight, it’s safe to say he won’t be wearing red and white shorts when he does, so the Bulls are obviously going to need to do something different to survive another day. While Isaiah Canaan will start at the point for second straight game, look for the Bulls to go with an unconventional look for most of the night by employing a three-headed attack in which Canaan, Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade are the team’s primary ball-handlers.

“Obviously the dynamic of our team has changed with Rajon out,” Bulls Head Coach Fred Hoiberg said yesterday afternoon during a conference call with reporters. “We played quite a few stretches last night, really the majority of the game, without a true point guard on the floor. But that’s just the reality of the situation we’re in right now. And it’s probably going to be that way for the rest of the series.”

Butler has been the best all-around player on the team all season long, and Wade is a future Hall of Famer who literally stuffed the stat sheet last time out in Game 5 with 26 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. In order for the Bulls to come out on top tonight, you have to believe both Butler and Wade are going to need to have big games at both ends of the floor. They’ve done it plenty of times before, so there’s no reason not to expect them to do so again this evening.

Canaan also is a key player for the Bulls tonight and someone to definitely keep an eye on. Although he led the team with 29 didn’t play by coach’s decisions during the regular season, the 6’0” guard has gladly and ably stepped up over the last two games, averaging 13 points and shooting 10-for-21 (47.6%) from the field while playing 35 minutes a night. More importantly, Canaan’s defensive physicality has bothered Boston’s leading man, Isaiah Thomas, a great deal. Last time out, Canaan stuck like glue to Thomas all over the floor and held him to 1-of-10 shooting from distance and 6-of-17 (35.3%) overall. Thomas did end the night with 24 points, scoring 11 in the fourth quarter, the vast majority of which came from drives into the paint and trips to the free throw line.

“I take my defense any day of the week,” Canaan said afterwards. “Their bigs did a good job in the second half of adjusting their screens and hitting me, making it tough for me to get back in front of (Thomas). I had success in the first half of staying in front and making every shot tough. Every shot was tough in the second half as well. He just was able to get to the free-throw line a couple of times.”

Heading into tonight, Thomas is averaging what looks to be on the surface an impressive 25.2 points in the series, but when you take a close look at the numbers you’ll see he’s shooting a rather ugly 43.8 percent from the field overall (39-for-89) and an even uglier 21.1 percent from behind the arc (8-for-38). Where Thomas is killing it is at the charity stripe, as he’s gone 40-for-49 (81.6%) from the line. The only other Celtic to have shot more than 10 free throws center Al Horford who has gone 10-for-11 from the stripe.

Clearly an important defensive key for Chicago is to get the ball out of Thomas’ hands, forcing one of his teammates to lead the way. Defensively, the Bulls have to come together to make sure someone is constantly in front of Thomas, especially when he looks to drive into the paint and attack the rim. Too often he has been able to turn the corner after one of Boston’s wings or bigs sets a screen. Thomas is simply too quick to just have a defender run alongside. Rather, a defender must stay directly in front and deny his attempts to blow through the paint. Physically, Isaiah Canaan is quick and strong enough to do so, and so far he has be able to body-up on Thomas and make his life somewhat uncomfortable. But to truly slow him down, it’s going to have to be a team effort, and the Bulls cannot be shy about dishing out hard fouls down low while at the same time making sure Thomas or anyone else is able to get up a shot while being fouled to post a cheap, backbreaking three-point play.

Offensively, the Bulls are at their best when they aggressively crash the boards and look to run the ball up the floor at every opportunity and attack the basket. In order for them to get into any kind of groove, it is essential the Bulls storm out of the gates focused, engaged and ready to battle from the moment the ball is tossed up.

In order to succeed, the Bulls have to freely share the ball and keep it hopping from player-to-player and from side-to-side. Everyone on the floor has to be involved in the action and be willing to take the action to the rim without fear of getting hit or being knocked down.

Chicago’s offense also can’t morph into a one-on-four contest with Butler or Wade attempting to take on all comers. There’s has to be constant movement — player and ball — which in turn will force Boston to chase and expend a great deal of energy. Chicago’s shooters also have to hit shots — especially the wide open ones. That’s where focus and fearlessness comes in to play.

A primary strength to Boston’s attack is their three-point shooting. The Cs averaged 33.4 treys (third most in the NBA) and connected on 12 per game (tied with Golden State for third most, as well) during the regular season. They have continued to launch an incredible amount of scuds in this series, shooting 185 over five games (37.0 per), making 60 from downtown, keeping up with their regular season mark of 12 makes per game. As mentioned earlier, Thomas hasn’t been such a dead-eye from distance (21.1%), but Horford (6-of-12, 50%), Avery Bradley (13-of-35, 37.1%), Kelly Olynyk (6-of-15, 40%), Gerald Green (6-of-15, 40%) and Terry Rozier (5-of-11, 45.5%) have.    

Defensively, the Bulls have to do a far better job of paying attention to the arc and running shooters off the curve. They also have to relentlessly crash the defensive boards as hard as they have on the offensive end. Rebounding must become a collaborative effort. It just can’t be starting center Robin Lopez cleaning the glass.

In Games 1 and 2, Chicago posted advantages of plus-17 in rebounding and plus-10 in second-chance scoring, however over Games 3, 4 and 5, all Boston victories, the Celtics closed the gap considerably, as they come into tonight a minus-10 on the boards but they’re now a plus-27 in second-chance scoring.

“We’ve gotten a little lazy at times on our defensive rebounding,” Butler admits. “They’re getting a lot of second-chance points and kick-out 3s.

The best thing the Bulls can do right now is to stay poised, focused and optimistic. Although they are facing elimination if they come up short tonight, they can’t allow doubt and/or despair to creep into their psyche.

The fact is the Bulls qualified for the playoffs as an eighth seed on the final day of the season whereas Boston ran away with its division and posted the best overall record in the conference. On paper the Celtics are supposed to win this series. But after capturing the first two games on the road, and doing so convincingly, it’s a tough pill to swallow seeing your best point guard on the bench in street clothes and then going out and losing three straight.

As a group the Bulls need to pull themselves together and take everything one at a time. Forget about having to win two in a row. The most important thing right now is to win tonight. In order to do that they need to commit to one another and believe in their heart of hearts that every possession, every rebound, every pass, every fastbreak and every defensive stop is the most important thing in the world.

Not to go all cliché or anything, but just as I quoted the late Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis a couple of weeks ago — just win, baby!

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Keys to the Game: Bulls vs. Celtics - Round 1, Game 6 (04.28.17)

Alright, let’s agree that the first four games don’t count. We can just forget about ‘em and start fresh … make this a best 2-out-of-3, what do you say?

Like it or not, that’s what’s happening.

Since the Boston Celtics won Games 3 and 4 in Chicago, they’ve recaptured home-court advantage and the Bulls and the Beantowners find themselves in a best-2-out-of-3 series with the survivor … ahem … the winner moving on to face either Washington or Atlanta in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Apparently all the talk about who should be the MVP this season, be it OKC’s Russell Westbrook or Houston’s James Harden, is simply noise as it became clear to everyone in Chicago over the weekend that Rajon Rondo is truly the most valuable player on the planet.

After dominating the No. 1 seeded Celtics on their home floor during the first two games of the series where Rondo masterfully established a quick pace and sliced and diced Boston’s defense in doling 20 assists while turning the ball over just four times, Chicago seemingly has crashed head-first into a brick wall after the veteran floor general was put into a hard cast after suffering a fractured right thumb sometime during Game 2. Primary backups Jerian Grant and Michael Carter-Williams have had a tough time getting their mojo to flow, in that once they were asked to step in for Rondo, combined the duo has shot an ugly 6-for-28 (21.4%) from the field and turned the ball over nine times while dishing just five dimes. Thus, it shouldn’t be that much of a surprise that Chicago head coach Fred Hoiberg has called upon little used Isaiah Canaan to try to chip in and help in any way possible.

Canaan, who didn’t play by coach’s decision a team-high 29 times and was placed on the inactive list for another nine games this season, ended up logging 34 minutes and recorded 13 points in Game 4. His incessant hounding of Boston’s leading man, Isaiah Thomas, and his ability to hit shots from behind the arc has earned Canaan the starting nod tonight in Game 5.

“I really thought he (Canaan) did a good job picking up the ball and pressuring the pickup point a full 94 feet,” says Hoiberg. “I thought his initial ball pressure was good. Isaiah (Canaan) we feel is a good fit right now for what he brings, especially on the defensive end and he’s also a guy who can knock down shots.”

It wasn’t a secret that Boston’s heaviest hitter coming into the series was and still is, Isaiah Thomas. During the regular season, fiery 5’9” guard averaged a whopping 28.9 points a night and proved time and again to be clutch down the stretch, as he was league’s second-best fourth quarter scorer, notching 9.8 points per game during the last 12 minutes, just a tick below Westbrook’s ridiculous 10.0 mark.

Lest anyone need reminding, Thomas’ capacity to take over at any moment became abundantly clear during Game 4 after the Bulls rallied from being down 20 points to take a 65-63 lead by the middle of the third quarter. After a Boston timeout, Thomas immediately sparked a game-changing 12-0 run, scoring 10 points on his own and assisting on the other bucket to turn the tide of the game, and quite possibly wrestle control of the series.

Heading into tonight’s contest, Thomas is averaging 25.5 points this series, with big man Al Horford a distance second at 14.8 per game. More meaningfully, Thomas has shot 38 free throws (making 29) while no other man donning green-and-white has attempted more than six.

Clearly an important key for Chicago will be to get the ball out of Thomas’ hands as much as possible, forcing someone else to step up and lead the way. Defensively, the Bulls need to keep someone in front of Thomas at all times, especially when the two-time All-Star attempts to attack the rim or pull-up for a trey.

Too often during this series Thomas has been able to turn a corner after one of Boston’s wings or bigs sets a screen for him, allowing him to explode and blaze a trail to the cup. Thomas is simply too quick to have a defender run alongside. Rather, that defender must stay directly in front and deny his attempts to blow through the paint. That’s where Canaan comes into play this evening. Physically, Isaiah Canaan is quick and strong. Hopefully he’s able to body-up on Thomas and make life somewhat uncomfortable for him — at least for a few hours — because if Thomas is allowed to run free that will unquestionably fire up the home crowd and inspire his teammates all the more.

Boston has trouble scoring when Thomas isn’t on the floor or the ball isn’t in his hands. Thus defensively, Chicago’s top priority has to be to force someone other than Thomas to beat them. Chances are if the Bulls can effectively stifle Thomas’ ability to get to the rim and/or free himself from a defender, Boston will be in trouble.

Offensively, Chicago has played its best when they immediately establish a quick pace. Thus in order to get into any kind of groove tonight it’s essential the Bulls hit the hardwood focused, engaged and ready to run from the moment the team bus arrives at TD Garden.

It all boils down to this — in order to succeed, the ball has to be freely shared and quickly move from player-to-player and from side-to-side. When it comes to the Bulls, the evidence is clear in that Chicago averaged 108.8 points on 46.5% shooting from the field and 37.2% from distance, to go along with 24.5 assists and 49.3 rebounds in the 41 games they won during the regular season, and just 97 points on 42.2% shooting from the field and 31.0% from distance, with 20.5 assists and 43.1 rebounds in the 41 games they lost.

When it comes to the NBA playoffs, expectations can change on a dime. Right now both the Bulls and Celtics have their backs up against the wall, with the loser tonight pushed to the edge of a steep cliff staring into the abyss of elimination. The best thing Chicago can do is to stay poised and focused.

The Bulls can’t allow Boston to get off to an explosive start and run out to a big lead. On the contrary, Chicago is the team that needs to establish a fast and free flowing pace from the jump while also continuing to assert its dominance in the paint and on backboards.

The Bulls were able to bully their way to an impressive 2-0 series lead by aggressively attacking the basket and outhustling and outmuscling Boston in every way imaginable. However, after dropping two straight back home at the United Center over the weekend, they have allowed the Celtics to reclaim home court advantage. Collectively the Bulls need to pull themselves together and take everything one at a time. Every possession, every rebound, every pass, every fastbreak and every defensive stop needs to matter. Simply put, doubt cannot be allowed to enter the minds of the Bulls. It’s time for Chicago to get after it, stay after it and never look back.

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Keys to the Game: Bulls at Celtics - Round 1, Game 5 (04.26.17)

Sam Smith

There are plenty of things the Bulls could do differently Sunday when they play likely what is the pivotal and most significant game of their season against the Boston Celtics in this first round playoff series.

A loss would send the Bulls back to Boston not only 2-2, but having surrendered one of the great playoff advantages in NBA history, and then going against a confident and motivated Celtics team with two of three back home, where they were won 17 of their last 20 before the playoffs.

"There's obviously a lot of things that we'll look to do tomorrow," Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said at practice Saturday. "The biggest thing starts with effort. That first quarter, we got down 20 right away and obviously we have to do a lot to prevent that from happening. We'll look at everything. The biggest thing we were doing yesterday was taking the ball out of the net, and that just kills any opportunity you have for pace. Too much ball holding as was evident by our assist numbers, 14 for the game. And we were single digits for most of it. So we've got to get the ball moving better. Everyone's got to trust their teammates. That first game without (injured Rajon) Rondo, we had some things that didn't go as well as they had in the first two games. So you make some adjustments, watch the film like we did, and hopefully come out and play better."

--- They could go to their strength, which also isn't generally their preference, which is throwing the ball inside to Robin Lopez. He's not Shaq, but not only do the Bulls have the physical rebounding and size advantage, but it seems the Celtics by going small with basically no center and four perimeter players have basically ceded the rebounding to the Bulls. They've said, in effect, they'd get their defense from the perimeter, and they did, Jimmy Butler with a historically poor playoff game with 14 points, zero assists and zero free throws. Avery Bradley appeared able to read Butler's underwear labels. The championship Bulls of the 1990s started every game throwing inside to Bill Cartwright and later Luc Longley. Not much after the first few possessions, but the idea was to get the defense reacting and thus opening outside space. The Bulls stunningly opened the game walking into contested jump shots, and then it was 33-15 Boston after one quarter. Plus, without Rondo's driving penetration, passing into the post would serve as penetration.

---- They could change the starting lineup. Jerian Grant, getting his first career playoff start, looked nervous and shaky. Michael Carter-Williams backing him up was a bit better defensively, but poorer offensively. Grant conceded Saturday he didn't play well and would more model himself after Rondo in Game 4. Hoiberg said no lineup changing decisions have been made yet, but he seemed to be leaning toward the same unit with perhaps a quick hook. Have Butler or Dwyane Wade handle the ball and add another wing shooter like Paul Zipser or Denzel Valentine? Hoiberg said the Bulls did try those looks on occasion during the game. But those combinations end up in the Bulls walking up the ball and frequent isolations. The Bulls averaged about five passes per possession in Games 1 and 2 with Rondo and about two passes per possession in Game 3.

---- Play Joffrey Lauvergne more for Cristiano Felicio. Felicio did well with 11 rebounds in 22 minutes, five offensive. But he is no offense threat. And as much as the Bulls after the game talked about defensive deficiencies, the offense was awfully offensive.  Lauvergne worked with the starters often in practice leading up to the playoffs, but then Hoiberg went with Felicio. And to great advantage. Lauvergne could be quicker to match with Al Horford, who led Boston in scoring in Game 3. Lopez and Bobby Portis both played fewer than eight minutes in the second half. That certainly will change given Portis' major contribution in Game 1.

---- Reintroduce yourself to Nikola Mirotic. He got just seven shots, which obviously had to do with Rondo being out. Hardly anyone looked for him. Mirotic as a result even turned into an ocasional playmaker with three assists, which equaled the team high. No starter had an assist in the entire first quarter in a combined more than 45 minutes played. Even Hubie Brown on the national broadcast moaned, "What's with all the jump shots."

There's all the usual cliché stuff of push the ball, stop taking it out of the net, swing the ball, close out on defense, help, rotate, guys step up. All good stuff, of course. But this is what this game comes down to: Your best player.

Sure, it's a team game, and no one wins alone, but your best guy has to be the leader, has to give everyone else confidence in his play, his attitude, his demands, his insistence that he is not going to let you lose. Rondo actually filled that role in Boston even without much scoring threat. He was feisty and certain, attacking, trash talking, defiant. He did what he could from the bench Friday with a leg spasm as Jae Crowder danced off the court right in front of the sitting Bulls in extending the early lead to 18 points.

The Bulls need the guys in the game, especially one guy, Butler.

As great as Butler has been the last few years, this really is his first challenge, his first big moment as the leader of the team. The Bulls didn't make the playoffs last season when he emerged as the team's main option. The season before it still was Derrick Rose with that responsibility. When that big shot was needed in the second round near upset of the Cavs in 2015, it was Rose. Butler chafed; he was ready. He wanted it.

Now it's time. The Bulls need this one badly, and Butler is coming off a letdown performance. Did the Bulls follow him Friday to a casual start? That seemed a team decision. But when you have accomplished what Butler has, All-Star starter, all-defense, fourth quarter go-to scorer, Wade saying he is here to support Butler, then your teammates look to you.

Anyone can have a bad game, and it's not like Butler pulled a Kobe from some years back and decided not to shoot. Butler shot up 21 of them, mostly off line. It happens. But now your teammates look to you for guidance, for inspiration, perhaps for a save. They're all pros, so they're all special. Some are more special than others.

"You ain't gonna play great every night," Butler said at practice Saturday. "But I don't feel I changed the game defensively, either. I don't think I did too much of anything. It's all right. We play the way we're supposed to, I play the way I'm supposed to along with everybody else. And then it's back to, ‘The Bulls have a chance.' Go out and do that. Control that."

Butler understands, but he also asked for this. He's earned it with his play we've seen so many times, but you have to earn it again in the playoffs when it matters even more.

Butler seemed defensive about his lack of free throws, saying, "If I've got open shots, I've got to take them. You wouldn't say anything if I was...."

"Yeah, if I was making my jump shots," Butler finished. "It's not the fact I didn't get to the line. I still did all right. I'll continue to take what the game gives me, take jumpers if I'm open."

It's not about what the game gives you, what the game tells you what shots to take. The great ones emerge and take their teams with them and tell the game what they are going to do. The Celtics defended much harder than the Bulls did, but Butler let Bradley pressure and push him around. Bradley's a good defender; so are Marcus Smart and Crowder. But none is an all-NBA player like Jimmy probably will be; none is an All-Star starter. You cannot let those players take away your game.

The game is telling you to shoot jump shots because that's what they want you to do. Tell the game the heck with that! You don't take what the game gives you. You tell the game what you are taking from it!

Without Rondo, Butler and Wade tend to play with one another. They are close, and they are the two primary players remaining, and their specialties are scoring; no offense to Butler's defense.

In Game 3, they combined to take 39 shots, 21 for Butler and 18 for Wade. No one else on the team attempted more than seven shots. Every starter for Boston attempted at least eight with four in double figures. Both Butler and Wade shot 33 percent. It's much easier to defend when the defense knows where the ball is going. And staying. It's also much more difficult to produce when you're not sure you may be getting another shot. Butler and Wade understand; they're not selfish. But they play a certain style. Rondo could overlap it with his one-man fast break.

It's a lot to ask of Grant in now his second ever NBA playoff start, to push the ball and demand Butler and Wade catch up.

"If I'm running, the guys are going to run with me," Grant said at practice. "They're not going to stand behind. So if I can get the rebound, get the outlet pass and make guys run the way Rondo did, that's something I can do."

Maybe Paul Zipser can make some shots, Portis; maybe a Valentine sighting. That all would help, and even Wade after Game 2 declared himself a supporting actor in this drama. He was clear as well; it's Jimmy's show. Butler averaged 26 points, 8.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists in the two wins. He was terrific. But he also had Rondo taking on the booing of the crowd, confronting the Celtics, setting everyone up.

It's continued with the tripping incident that really wasn't. Heck, the league should give Rondo a bonus for his hysterical deadpan explanation. Plus, hey, get out of the opponent bench! Though Butler Saturday said Rondo still can be an inspiration even when not playing.

"I like confrontation, stuff like that," Butler said of the discussion of whether Rondo meant to trip Crowder. "Makes me smile. Gets me going and everybody else. I'm excited for what's next. I woke up smiling this morning. I don't like to lose. But I'm fortunate enough to wake up and still be able to play this game. That's just (Ron)Do for you. He's been through this before, countless times. He's won. He knows what he's doing. I just think overall we have to take his edge, especially mentally, older guys, younger guys, everybody. We have to think the game like he thinks it, study it the way that he studies it. Take note and take after him because he does everything the right way."

And, no offense, not just be happy to have your health, you know waking up the luckiest man in the world. We all know. But this game may be the series.

Sure, it's about winning, but winning doesn't determine who you are. It's competing; it's the desire and obligation. Plenty of guys who lost big games are winners. Don't ever mistake that. But this is Butler's time. This is when your team needs you most at the time when it's most difficult. Maybe the other guys don't do enough and it doesn't happen. It's OK.

"I'm not going to say we're going to lose," said Butler. "I don't think that's the right answer to any question. I don't think anybody plays this game to lose, especially this time of year. I feel we have a really good team. I'm taking our chances over theirs. I don't care how many games. We just have to get to four. We don't care who counts us out. We really don't care who wants us to win. We're worried about the people in here because we're the ones who have to do it every day."

People always ask what leadership is about. It's about games like this, stepping forward to accept and endure the responsibility, raise the temperature on yourself so it can be lowered on everyone else. Get everyone involved so they feel a part of the quest, but make sure everyone sees that you're out front.

That's what games like this are about. We can't wait.

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What can the Bulls change up in Game 4?

CHICAGO -- The Boston Celtics arrived in Chicago just hoping to play their way back into their Eastern Conference playoff series with the Bulls.

Now, with a win on Sunday at the United Center, the Celtics can return home in a dead heat with the Bulls.

Boston drew even in the best-of-seven series with a 104-87 victory on Friday night. In a game in which the Celtics saw a 20-point lead dwindle to one early in the third quarter, Boston pounded the Bulls from the perimeter with 17 3-point field goals and used fast-paced ball movement to keep Chicago from ever getting close.

But after earning their first victory in the series, the Celtics understand they will have to keep pushing in order to get their second.

"It's certainly better to be down 2-1 than 3-0," Boston coach Brad Stevens told reporters on Saturday. "We're going to have to play with great purpose, be intentional about the way we approach (Sunday's game). We know it's going to be really hard and each game is its own entity."

The Celtics relied on a balanced scoring attack to build their lead. While guard Isaiah Thomas -- who scored 16 points, well off his season average of 28.9 points -- didn't score as much as his teammates have become accustomed to, he contributed nine assists.

Still dealing with the death of his sister, who was killed in a car accident last weekend, Thomas hit back-to-back 3-pointers to widen the gap after Chicago had drawn to within a point.

His teammates fed off his effort and then did enough to get within a game of the Bulls.

"I felt like as a team, we had a much better rhythm (Friday)," Celtics center Al Horford said.

The Bulls, meanwhile, struggled with pace in their first game playing without injured point guard Rajon Rondo. Jerian Grant and Michael Carter-Williams both struggled in Rondo's absence and leading scorer Jimmy Butler was 7-of-21 from the field. Chicago turned the ball over 18 times and had only 14 assists (compared to Boston's 34) and the offensive woes -- coupled with the Bulls' defensive issues -- all added up to the 17-point loss.

Now, like the Celtics did on Friday, Chicago will enter Sunday's game looking to bounce back.

"We're in a good position," Bulls guard Dwyane Wade said. "One thing Rondo did before he went out is help us win two games on the road. Now we have two of the next three (games) on our home court and we have to come in and care of business at home."

With Rondo out indefinitely, the Bulls won't have a lot of time to make the adjustments they will need to get to within a game of closing out the Celtics. Wade said after Friday's loss that Chicago can't afford to use Rondo's absence as an excuse.

But given what's at stake before the series shifts back to Boston for Game 5, the Bulls believe they can do what's needed to make the Celtics' comeback efforts even tougher. Now, they will need to carry out their plan on their home floor.

"I think a big theme of the playoffs should be possession by possession, quarter by quarter, game by game," Bulls center Robin Lopez said. "You just try to keep a level head, even with failure and success. We're going to come back (Saturday) and look at the film to make improvements."

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Keys to the Game: Bulls at Celtics - Round 1, Game 4 (04.23.17)

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