Apr 21, 2017; Chicago, IL, USA; Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas (4) moves around defenderChicago Bulls center Robin Lopez (8) during the second half in game three of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Caylor Arnold-USA TODAY Sports
The Boston Celtics were able to dig themselves out of an 0-2 hole with a Game 3 victory over the Chicago Bulls at the United Center.
After two losses in the opening two games of the first-round series versus the Chicago Bulls, the Boston Celtics really needed a win. The Celtics were able to come through, with a commanding 17-point victory.
The victory now brings the Celtics one game away from tying up the series and moving on beyond the first round. This team looked completely different from the team that dropped two games in Boston.
The Celtics led nearly the entire game and ended with the reserves from both squads seeing minutes.
The Celtics would do themselves a huge favor winning Game 4. Dropping into a 3-1 hole is usually a death sentence (insert Warriors joke here), and if the Celtics do indeed win Game 4, then it would be hard to not see them advancing.
This Celtics team looked like the the Celtics of the regular season; the team that was the first seed in the Eastern Conference. The ball movement was on point, every player contributed, and no one player was relied upon too heavily.
All in all, this was most definitely the best the Boston Celtics have looked this postseason.
Apr 21, 2017; Chicago, IL, USA; Boston Celtics forward Gerald Green (30) reacts during the second half in game three of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs against the Chicago Bulls at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Caylor Arnold-USA TODAY Sports
Lineup Change Was A Success
Before the game, it was announced that the Boston Celtics had made a change, slotting Gerald Green into the starting lineup over Amir Johnson. Seeing Johnson moved out of the starting lineup wasn't a major surprise. The Celtics were down 2-0 and Johnson only played nine minutes in Game 2.
However, seeing Green take his place was.
Green had played just six minutes in Game 1 and didn't even get on the floor in Game 2. However, head coach Brad Stevens elected to go small and inserted Green into the starting lineup.
This move paid dividends.
The box score may not say that much; Green played 20 minutes and scored eight points on 2-of-3 shooting from beyond the 3-point line. Green being a threat to score from the perimeter was all that was needed to spread out the defense and open up the paint for drive and kicks.
Many Celtics fans were clamoring for Tyler Zeller to start so he could help contain Robin Lopez on the glass, but Green was able to come in and be a valuable contributor.
It was Green's first start of the season, but don't be surprised in Stevens sticks with this look in Game 4.
Apr 21, 2017; Chicago, IL, USA; Boston Celtics guard Avery Bradley (0) reacts after being fouled by Chicago Bulls forward Jimmy Butler (not pictured) during the second half in game three of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Caylor Arnold-USA TODAY Sports
Balanced Attack > Isaiah Thomas One-Man Band
Throughout the regular season, Boston Celtics fans were used to seeing Isaiah Thomas dominate both the ball and the box score on offense. The Celtics were an oddity among the NBA's elite in the fact that they really only had one go-to player, unlike most top seeds.
During Game 3, the Celtics deployed a balanced attack and the offense looked lethal.
No one scored over 20 points for the Celtics, but the four starters besides Green scored between 15 and 18 points. Al Horford (18), Thomas and Jae Crowder (16), and Avery Bradley (15), as well as Terry Rozier (11), all scored in double figures.
Having five or more double-figure scorers is a good barometer for victory and was accurate in this instance.
The Celtics drove and kicked the ball out to the 3-point line throughout the game. Thomas had nine assists, Bradley had seven, and Horford had six. As a team, the Celtics shot a blistering 46 percent (17-for-37) from the beyond the 3-point line.
Every starter hit at least two 3-point field goals. Bradley hit four and Rozier made three off the bench. This offense looked like a well-oiled machine, and the Celtics' ball movement was among the best it's been all season.
Apr 18, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas (4) is guarded by Chicago Bulls point guard Rajon Rondo (9) during the first quarter in game two of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
Rajon Rondo's Injury Was a Blessing
Prior to the game, it was announced that Chicago Bulls point guard, and former Celtic great, Rajon Rondo was out indefinitely with a broken thumb. You never want to see injuries in the NBA, but without Rondo, the Bulls' offense looked like a hot mess.
However, Rondo was able to conTRIPute on the bench in his own way.
On a serious note, Dwyane Wade, Nikola Mirotic and Michael Carter-Williams were the Bulls' team leaders in assists, with a whopping three apiece. Rondo's replacement in the starting lineup, Jerian Grant, scored six points with four turnovers in 15 minutes of action.
Rondo had as many assists in Game 2 as the entire Bulls squad had in Game 3.
As a team, the Bulls shot 39 percent from the field and 28 percent from three. Wade (6-of-18) and Jimmy Butler (7-of-21) were both widely inefficient. While this can't all be contributed to Rondo's absence, Rondo is still incredibly gifted at orchestrating an offense and possesses amazing court vision.
Add this on to the fact that Rondo almost put up a triple double in Game 2 (11 points, nine rebounds, 14 assists), and the Celtics aren't too bummed that Rondo isn't on the floor.
Apr 21, 2017; Chicago, IL, USA; Boston Celtics center Al Horford (42) moves around defenderChicago Bulls center Robin Lopez (8) during the second half in game three of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Caylor Arnold-USA TODAY Sports
Rebounding Still An Issue
The Boston Celtics may have won the game, but they got out-rebounded again. Rebounding has been a major issue throughout the series, specifically in Game 1.
On the defensive glass, the Celtics grabbed 30 rebounds to the Bulls' 37. On the offensive glass, which has been the biggest issue in the series, the Bulls doubled up the Celtics by grabbing 15 offensive rebounds compared to the Celtics' seven.
Lopez has looked unstoppable at times during this series and had a solid game on Friday, scoring 12 points on 5-for-7 shooting and grabbing four offensive rebounds. His averages for the series are 14.7 points and 5.3 offensive rebounds per game.
Horford simply isn't the answer to containing Lopez, but in reality, the Celtics just don't have the size to compete with him.
With the lineup change, Stevens was betting on the Celtics being able to simply outshoot the Bulls and that worked in Game 3. However, the Celtics aren't going to shoot 45.9 percent from behind the arc every game, and the rebounding issues are concerning.
There's no clear answer to this problem on the offensive glass. Throwing Tyler Zeller some minutes could help, or it could not, there isn't enough of a sample size to determine if he would be effective.
However, if the Celtics get through this series, they will need to figure out how to contain opposing players on the offensive glass if they want to succeed in the postseason.
Apr 21, 2017; Chicago, IL, USA; Boston Celtics guard Terry Rozier (12) goes in for a dunk while Chicago Bulls guard Anthony Morrow (11) defends during the second half in game three of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Caylor Arnold-USA TODAY Sports
The Bench Contributed… But Not Enough
The Celtics had 31 bench points this game, which isn't a bad figure, but it's not stellar. Terry Rozier had his best game of the series, canning three triples en route to 11 points, three rebounds, and one steal.
Marcus Smart was also serviceable off the bench, contributing seven points, six rebounds, and five assists.
Smart has contributed all over the box score this series, averaging 9.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game over the last three outings. However the Celtics are still missing that sixth man who will score in double digits on a consistent basis.
Rozier looked like that player on Friday night, and should see more minutes thrown his way the rest of the series after his performance tonight.
Kelly Olynyk was disappointing, only scoring five points on 2-of-5 shooting, although he did see his minutes dip. Jaylen Brown only saw the floor for one minute, which was a surprising move as he has struggled as a whole in this series.
As a whole, the bench looked better than it had previously in this series, but there's still room for improvement.
Look for Terry Rozier, who had a great regular season, and Marcus Smart to carry the bench the rest of the way for the Boston Celtics.
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