Celtics vs. Bulls: Score, Highlights, Reaction from 2017 Regular Season

Boston Celtics at Chicago Bulls (-1, 212)All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas aims for a team-record 41st consecutive 20-point performance Thursday, when the Boston Celtics close play prior to the All-Star break by visiting the Chicago Bulls. And never was that more evident than in the waning seconds, after which Butler’s confidence meter maxed out at “Peak Jimmy”.

“We would love to go 4-0 (on the trip), but things happened”, said Marcus Smart, a starter with Bradley out (strained Achilles).

Butler tried to be the hero with a falling off-target fadeaway jumper, Marcus Smart maybe nearly grazed his elbow with his fingers, and the refs called the foul, incensing everyone on the Celtics (for good reason).

The Bulls beat the Boston Celtics 104-103 to extend their unique winning streak while on the national stage for Thursday nights.

Butler, on the contrary, was sure that Smart hit his elbow as he took his shot. “I don’t care what nobody says”. “We had it won”.

“We got the look that we wanted”.

So although Butler still describes himself as “the kid from Tomball, Texas”, there’s no mistaking that he’s now a three-time NBA All-Star in the midst of a $92.3 million contract with the Bulls. Butler led Chicago with 29 points of his own to go with seven dimes and four boards. “I couldn’t believe it”, Smart told reporters.

Dallas coach Rick Carlisle, a former Celtic, said he thinks Boston has a real shot of making it to the NBA Finals. “I played great defense right there – I know I did”. It’s a reflection of the fact that, in the crucial moments-when the starters are on the floor for both teams, when nobody’s pacing themselves, and when the rhythm of the game most resembles what it’ll be like for all four quarters in the playoffs-Boston’s offense is whatever Isaiah Thomas can pull out of his hat, and not much else.

Dario Saric led the 76ers with 20 points and 11 rebounds.

But the call from Zarba came with less than a tenth of a second to play, a call made that wasn’t made until Butler’s shot attempt clearly going to come up short. “Looking back in the history, the great ones want all that on their plate”. One year later, the disenfranchised Rondo was traded away to Dallas and the Celtics haven’t looked back. Jimmy is no exception. You put him on a power forward, he’s going to slow the power forward down. “And it pays off more often than not”. The Wizards’ first three baskets were 3-pointers, and they ended the game having tied a team-high for 3-pointers made in a game with 15.

Added Olynyk: “We played a good stretch of basketball those last 12 or 13 games, whatever it was”. While plenty of speculation has been made what the Bulls will – or won’t – do next week, Hoiberg inferred that he was fine with the Bulls moving ahead as they are.

McConnell said “you’re not gonna overlook us, we’re not a guaranteed victory for the other team”.