Preview: Celtics at Bulls

[January 02, 2014]  A pair of teams coming off collapses at home meet Thursday when the Boston Celtics visit the Chicago Bulls. The Celtics were first in the New Year's Eve swoons, losing an early 18-point lead and then coughing up a late nine-point bulge in a 92-91 loss to Atlanta. Standout Jared Sullinger aggravated a left hand injury in the second quarter and fellow forwards Jeff Green and Brandon Bass were seen having a pointed exchange of words in the third, all part of a frustrating afternoon for Boston, which has lost four of five.

Chicago's lead was not as sizable as Boston's, as it led by just five points to begin the fourth quarter of an 85-79 loss to Toronto on Tuesday. However, the manner in which the Bulls faded down the stretch was notable, with head coach Tom Thibodeau's team making just 4-of-24 shots in the final stanza and missing nine of its last 10. Luol Deng returned from a five-game layoff due to an Achilles injury to score a team-high 16 points.

TV: 8 p.m ET, CSN New England (Boston), CSN Chicago (Chicago)

ABOUT THE CELTICS (13-18): The exchange between Green and Bass highlighted a lackluster afternoon for Boston's starters on Tuesday. All five of them were held to single digits in scoring while combining to shoot 12-for-47 from the floor and 1-for-12 from 3-point range. The bench provided plenty of support, led by rookie Kelly Olynyk's 21 points. However, the first five have now gone three games without anyone producing a 20-point effort and have shot a collective 37.5 percent in that stretch.

ABOUT THE BULLS (12-18): Like the Celtics, Chicago's starters were unable to muster much on the offensive end against Toronto, continuing a troubling trend in the wake of the season-ending injury to All-Star guard Derrick Rose. Carlos Boozer, Joakim Noah and Kirk Hinrich combined to shoot 4-for-27 and the Bulls scoring average without Rose fell to 90.3 points, more than three points below what it was with him in the lineup earlier this season. Chicago, which ranks last in the league in scoring overall (91.3), has dropped six of its last seven at home.

BUZZER-BEATERS

1. Last season's four meetings were decided by an average of five points, one of which went to overtime.
   

2. Sullinger, who has totaled 16 points in 67 minutes over his last three games, is expected to play.
   

3. Bulls G Jimmy Butler is averaging 16.8 points in four games since returning from an ankle injury.
   

PREDICTION: Bulls 90, Celtics 87

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