Chicago Bulls: Takeaways From Game 2 Win Over Celtics

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Apr 18, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Chicago Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg during the first quarter in game two of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports /

Hoiberg Remains Undefeated In Postseason Debut

After parting ways with former coach Tom Thibodeau — a coach whose teams posted a .647 winning percentage during the regular season, Hoiberg was hand-picked by general Gar Forman as the voice that was going to help the Bulls overcome their playoff shortcomings.

How has the decision panned out?

Well, in Hoiberg’s inaugural season, the Bulls posted a 42-40 record and missed the playoffs for the first time in eight years.

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In Year 2, despite earning a postseason berth, the Bulls actually finished with a less-than-impressive 41-41 record during a year that was plagued with inconsistent play.

Coming into this series against the Celtics, it would have reasonable to give Brad Stevens the edge being that he has guided Boston to its third consecutive playoff appearance. But in spite of that fact, Hoiberg has already made a couple of noticeable moves in his playoff debut.

When Nikola Mirotic struggled in the series opener — four points on 1-for-9 shooting — Hoiberg brought Portis off the bench and he proved to be a huge X-factor for the Bulls.

On top of that, with Thomas lighting up the Bulls’ defense like a Christmas tree, Hoiberg opted to use Butler to slow him down, a decision that paid huge dividends, as he limited Thomas to just one bucket in the game’s final minutes.

Those moves, along with calling Zipser’s number in Game 2, proves that Hoiberg — who was ranked as the worst coach in the NBA by ESPN — deserves a little more credit for not only getting the Bulls into the playoffs, but also for moving them within two wins of upsetting the top seed in the Eastern Conference.

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