Defeating the Bulls, the Celtics move into second place in the East

The level of play is certainly not the highest, with a lot of clumsiness on both sides, but the first half goes into repair, in favor Celtics (54-33). It must be said that the missed shots were recovered by Neemias Cueta and Hugo Gonzalez, active on the offensive rebound, while Bulls they are unable to take care of the leather, offering other additional ammunition to Joe Mazzula’s men.

Nothing is going well Chicagowhich trailed by as many as 23 in the first period, despite Jaylen Brown being limited to 3/14 shooting. Bostonwho doesn’t have to show his talent against a bare team, especially stood out thanks to… 25-5 (!) scored in the last seven minutes of the first quarter.

Kicked out by his basket at the halftime buzzer, Peyton Pritchard restarted strongly after the break, elusive with a very low center of gravity, which was necessary to counter these Bulls, who found skill and aggression at the break. Like Matas Bouzelis and Ayo Dosunmu. Off the bench, Anfernee Simmons is also there to help maintain a sizable deficit and her hot hitting is welcome.

In addition to the Buzelis/Dosunmu duo, Nikola Vučević also poked his nose into the window on the Chicago side, and little by little the visitors caught up, to position themselves at -10 three minutes from the end. Fortunately, with Anferni Simmons still very hot, multiplying his success over and over again, Boston could rely on him, and Neemias Cueto, to shut down opposing offense for good. Without too much haste (115-101).

Unbearable after the break, Anfernee Simmons (27 points in 27 minutes) is the man of the night, even if Payton Pritchard (21 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists) i Nehemiah Kueta (13 points, 13 rebounds) also got the job done. in front, Matas Buzelis (26 points) stood out the most, but it was no use, because the deficit was already made – and it was great – when he started his match.

WHAT TO REMEMBER

– Boston pulled away in the first half. Jaylen Brown didn’t have a great night, but that didn’t stop the Celtics from winning at TD Garden. It must be said that Neemias Cueta in the first half, then Peyton Pritchard and Anferni Simmons in the second, brilliantly compensated the shot of their leader 6/24. Simmons’ second period is the epitome of his kind, catching the heat like he rarely did when he put in all his points, when the deficit was built, but when the Bulls showed success. After this first half where they watered and soiled abundantly, taking water under the boards as well.

– Chicago wakes up too late. It’s hard to get your hopes up when you’re down 25-5 in seven minutes, down -23 after a quarter of an hour, or shooting just 32% in one half. And this, even if in the second half the Bulls finally matched the Celtics, thanks to the efforts of Matas Bouzelis, Ayo Dosunmu and Nikola Vucevic. Billy Donovan’s players may be regretting that, even diminished, they should not have been pushed like this in the first half, both in attack and defense.

– The Celtics continue to climb. With this fourth win in a row, and even the eighth success in the last nine games, Joe Mazzula’s players jumped over the Knicks to the 2nd place in the East!

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How to read statistics? Min = Minute; Shots = Shots Successful / Shots Attempted; 3 points = 3 points / 3 points in an attempt; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive jump; T = Total number of jumps; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal mistakes; Int = intercepts; Bp = lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Difference of points when the player is on the field; Points = Points; Rating: player rating calculated based on positive actions – negative actions.