Chicago Bulls: Takeaways From Game 1 Win Over Boston Celtics

Apr 16, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Jimmy Butler (21) goes to the basket past Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart (36) and center Kelly Olynyk (41) during the third quarter in game one of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports /

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Apr 16, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Chicago Bulls center Robin Lopez (8) shoots over Boston Celtics center Al Horford (42) during the second quarter in game one of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports /

Bulls Crush Celtics On The Glass

One of the key factors I mentioned for the Bulls coming into this series was winning the rebounding battle. In their two victories against the Celtics during the regular season, the Bulls out-rebounded their counterparts by an impressive 106-67 margin.

This effort led to a 40-9 advantage in second-chance points.

That trend was on display once again in Game 1. Thanks to a solid effort from Robin Lopez — who had 14 points to go along with 11 rebounds — the Bulls enjoyed a sizable 53-36 advantage on the glass (20 on the offensive end), which translated to a 23-15 edge in second-chance points.

While the Bulls were a .500 team during the regular season, one of the areas where they excelled was rebounding. In fact, they were the third-best team in this category, snatching up 46.3 boards per contest.

If they continue to dominate in this area, this series may have an ending that few would have expected.

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