With playoff matchups finally set, we break down the first round playoff battle between the top-seeded Boston Celtics and the eighth-seeded Chicago Bulls.
The Boston Celtics enter the postseason as the unlikely 1-seed in the Eastern Conference for the 2017 NBA Playoffs after finishing the season 53-29. They’ve taken great strides, both internally and externally, and look poised to make a deep playoff run and hopefully rise as the challenger to the reigning NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers in the East when it’s all said and done.
Their first round opponent, the Chicago Bulls, enter the playoffs in a different fashion as it took until the final game of the season for the Bulls to clinch their postseason berth after a truly unpredictable and chaotic regular season. While their roster is very flawed in terms of pure talent, as well as the way it was constructed, they may still have the best player in the series with Jimmy Butler (is that a little too hot-takey?).
Can the Celtics finally break through the first round and earn their first playoff series victory in the Brad Stevens era? Is there a way for the Bulls to make things interesting and extend the series with Butler leading the way?
With answers to those questions and much more, let’s take a look at the matchups.
Likely Starting Lineups
Point Guard
Isaiah Thomas (BOS) vs. Rajon Rondo (CHI)
Viewed as a serious candidate in the MVP discussion this season, Isaiah Thomas just keeps finding ways to improve, despite his clear size disadvantages. It was no question that he was the Celtics’ best player throughout the regular season and now the onus will be on him to find a way to translate that into a playoff setting.
Rajon Rondo is far from the player he once was in the earlier part of the decade, but he found ways to improve his effectiveness in the second half of the year, helping the Bulls’ playoff push (as well as getting out of the doghouse) in the process. Now, can he keep that up facing the team he played for during his glory days?
Advantage: Boston Celtics
Shooting Guard
Avery Bradley (BOS) vs. Dwyane Wade (CHI)
Injuries may have limited Avery Bradley to just 55 games this season, but it wasn’t enough to limit him from averaging career highs in points per game (16.3), rebounds per game (6.1) and effective field goal percentage (53.3 percent). Bradley’s never been consistently thought of as one of the league’s best 2-guards, but a solid performance throughout the playoffs may change that perception.
Much like Bradley, injuries played a factor in Dwayne Wade’s first season with the Bulls. But Wade’s homecoming to Chicago had a far more mixed impact than it promised to be at the start of the year and he even turned in his worst shooting season of his career by true shooting percentage (50.8 percent). Can Wade hit another gear and find his playoff form from past seasons?
Advantage: Boston Celtics
Small Forward
Jae Crowder (BOS) vs. Jimmy Butler (CHI)
Jae Crowder has steadily rose in stature since coming to Boston a couple of seasons ago, but this season proved to be a breakthrough for him in some ways. He’s (finally) become a surefire shooter from deep (Crowder shot 39.8 percent from beyond the arc this year) and his defensive prowess remains as sharp as ever.
However, Crowder faces an all-NBA talent in Jimmy Butler, who finished with a career year in multiple statistical categories. A lot was made about the offseason additions alongside him, but Butler proved with his play this year that he’s capable of putting the team on his back at any given moment.
Advantage: Chicago Bulls
Power Forward
Amir Johnson (BOS) vs. Nikola Mirotic (CHI)
There’s nothing that jumps out at you when watching Amir Johnson play and that plays to the advantage of the 12-year veteran. Even as he’s approaching 30 years of age, Johnson remains effective with his impact throughout the team and him having the highest net rating throughout the season for the Celtics is evidence of that (per NBA.com/stats).
All throughout his time in the league, Nikola Mirotic has struggled to stay consistent with his shooting ability. However, he found his form after the All-Star break, averaging 14.2 points per game on a 62.9 true shooting percentage as well as 42.2 percent shooting from deep. Now it’s time to see that carry over into the playoffs.
Advantage: Chicago Bulls
Center
Al Horford (BOS) vs. Robin Lopez (CHI)
One of the premier free agent signings last offseason, Al Horford stayed true to his play of the last few years in his first season in green. Now the 10-year man will certainly be looked upon to deliver what the Celtics have been missing in their recent postseason trips over the last couple of years.
Acquired as part of the Derrick Rose trade last summer, Robin Lopez has been a formidable figure in the middle for the Bulls this year. With that being said, Lopez will certainly be put to the test matching up against Horford, especially when guarding him out on the perimeter.
Advantage: Boston Celtics
Sixth Man/Bench
Marcus Smart (BOS) vs. Paul Zipser (CHI)
There’s no question Marcus Smart is a terror on the court and his defensive versatility, along with his tenacity, will certainly give the Bulls fits at times throughout the series. Still, his shooting struggles are ever present after another poor shooting season and hoping that changes anytime soon still remains wishful thinking.
Taken 43rd overall in last year’s draft, Paul Zipser has been something of a revelation for the Bulls, especially after the All-Star break. Of course, the playoffs are a steep learning curve for any rookie, but the German international could prove to be a rare exception, considering his professional experience playing overseas before making the jump to the NBA.
Advantage: Boston Celtics
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Coaching
Brad Stevens (BOS) vs. Fred Hoiberg (CHI)
It didn’t take long for Brad Stevens to rise quickly in the NBA coaching pantheon since his arrival to Boston nearly four years ago. However, the pressure will certainly be on him to help deliver the team’s first playoff series victory under his tenure, especially given their top seed status.
There was arguably no coach within the league with a bigger target on his back than Fred Hoiberg. Granted, Hoiberg’s decision making has been maligned all throughout the year and some of that instability has contributed to his team’s woes at various points throughout the season. Will he be able to stay consistent with his rotations and motivate his team now on a bigger stage?
Advantage: Boston Celtics
Key Matchup
Jae Crowder (BOS) vs. Jimmy Butler (CHI)
Slowing down Jimmy Butler is a tough task for any team in the league, but the Celtics may have the right guy for the job in Jae Crowder. With his length, toughness and physical skills, Crowder has the right makeup to defend Butler throughout a playoff series and if done successfully, someone will have to rise up for the Bulls to lighten the load a bit for Butler.
But there’s obviously a reason why Butler has become one of the premier players in the league and he’s shown time and time again throughout the season that he can make an impact in a variety of ways on both ends of the floor. Butler’s job defending Crowder is remarkably easier with the roles reversed, considering Crowder plays more as a spot-up shooter.
Again, limiting Butler will be no easy feat for Crowder, but there’s no doubt that Crowder can at least make life hard for Butler over the course of a playoff series. If Crowder’s successful doing so more times than not, it plays in the Celtics’ favor.
But if not, this series may get a lot more interesting than one may think at the moment.
Boston Will Win If…
They silence Jimmy Butler and have consistent contributors rise to the occasion alongside Isaiah Thomas.
Chicago Will Win If…
Jimmy Butler puts up the series of his life and Dwyane Wade recaptures some of his playoff magic. Oh, a few bad breaks goes the Celtics’ way, too.
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Prediction:
Boston Celtics defeat the Chicago Bulls 4-2.