Chicago Bulls vs Boston Celtics: NBA Playoffs Game 1 Live Stream, Start Time and More
The Chicago Bulls and Boston Celtics will face off in Game 1 of their NBA postseason series on Sunday. Here is all you need to know to watch the game.
The Chicago Bulls were able to hold onto the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference and make the playoffs at 41-41. The top-seeded Boston Celtics await them in the first round, in a series where many give the Bulls a chance to pull off the upset. The Bulls will certainly have their work cut out for them as the Celtics are an extremely well-rounded team who went 53-29 this season.
The two teams faced off four times this season, with each team taking a pair of wins. However, far and away the most relevant matchup was when they played in mid-March. This was the only time this season that the Bulls played the Celtics without Taj Gibson and they lost by 20 points. Obviously, the Bulls will not have Gibson in this series and will not have the same ability to pound the glass against a weak rebounding Celtics team.
The key to Game 1 and the series as a whole will be keeping Isaiah Thomas in check. Thomas was the third-leading scorer in the NBA this season, pouring in 28.9 points per game for the Celtics. Thomas’ size makes him a huge defensive liability but he can undoubtedly take over a game with the ball in his hands.
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It will be interesting to see how the Bulls defend Thomas. He is the straw that stirs the Celtics’ drink and needs to be taken seriously. It appears that Jimmy Butler will at least have part-time defensive responsibilities on Thomas.
Dwayne Wade is going to be a huge key for the Chicago Bulls on Sunday and throughout the series. If the Bulls can get vintage playoff Wade to play alongside Butler and an emerging Rajon Rondo and Nikola Mirotic, they have a chance to pull off the major upset in this series. If Wade looks old and slow, the Bulls are probably in trouble.
Game 1 Details
Date: April 16, 2017
Starting Time: 5:30 pm CT
Location: Boston, MA
Stadium: TD Garden
TV Channel: TNT
Live Stream: Watch TNT App
Next: Bulls vs Celtics: Series Preview and Prediction
That’s right, the TNT Bulls are back! The Chicago Bulls have won 20 consecutive games televised on TNT. Now, that obviously does not mean anything but it will be interesting to see if they can continue their streak. Will this be the unstoppable TNT Bulls or will the top-seeded Celtics impose their will? Tune in on Easter Sunday to find out.