LDN - Sports

Rondo guides Bulls to 2-0 lead over Celtics

[April 19, 2017] BOSTON -- The Chicago Bulls needed a 7-3 finish and a tiebreaker just to get into the NBA playoffs as an eighth seed.

Now, the Bulls are in complete control of their first-round Eastern Conference series against the top-seeded Boston Celtics.

Chicago is the first No. 8 seed to take a 2-0 lead in a first-round series -- and the Bulls did it on the road.

"I'm not surprised because everybody's so locked in right now," Jimmy Butler said after his 22 points, eight rebounds and four steals helped the Bulls earn a 111-97 victory over Boston in Game 2 on Tuesday night. "Everybody's putting in extra work, watching that film, working on their game. And that's where your confidence always comes from."

It also helps that Rajon Rondo is playing like vintage Rondo, the point guard who quarterbacked the Celtics' title run in 2008. He just missed his 11th playoff triple-double, finishing with 11 points, 14 assists and nine rebounds. He was a plus-24 in 40:22, adding five steals.

The big Game 2 effort followed a Game 1 in which Rondo contributed 12 points, seven rebounds and six assists.

"It's key when you have a point guard like him that controls the whole game -- you've just got to play," said Dwyane Wade, who had 22 points, eight of them coming in a 10-0 spurt that put away Game 2. "Tonight, our job was easy. We just had to play. As I told him, 'Way to run your team.'"

Said Rondo: "For the playoffs, for me in particular, you get a couple extra days of rest for the body. I get three or four days of prep on a team, lock into their game plan, and I'm playing plus minutes.

"I don't know what it is. I just try to lock in and ... do what I can for my team."

The Bulls, 41-41 in the regular season, are attempting to become the sixth No. 8 seed to upset a No. 1 in the first round -- and the first since the Philadelphia 76ers upset Chicago in the 2012 playoffs.

Game 3 is in Chicago on Friday night as the Celtics face the possibility of not playing in front of their home fans again this season. Those fans booed their team on more than one occasion Tuesday, including a loud chorus as the final seconds ticked off.

"(The Bulls) came in and took (it), and we have to do the same thing," said Boston's Jae Crowder. "Take it one game at a time and try to get Game 3."

The Bulls used several quick spurts to control the game, the last one the 10-0 burst that built a 19-point lead in the fourth quarter.

Six Bulls finished in double figures, with Robin Lopez scoring 18, Paul Zipser 16 off the bench and Nikola Mirotic 13. Butler also posted eight rebounds and eight assists. Lopez was 8 of 11 from the floor, most of it from outside, and he also grabbed eight boards.

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Bulls point guard Rajon Rondo (9) controls the ball 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

"We've got some great field generals out there in these two guys (Wade and Rondo) that are helping myself and these younger guys, and to make sure they're playing hard on every possession at both ends of the floor."

Isaiah Thomas, who will fly to Tacoma, Wash., on Wednesday to attend the funeral for his younger sister, Chyna, who was killed in an automobile crash, had an off night. He scored 20 points but was just 6 of 15 from the floor, including 1 of 5 from 3-point range. Thomas missed six of his 13 free throws, had two assists and committed five turnovers. He was a minus-20.

Thomas was again unavailable to the media after the game.

Crowder matched his career playoff high with 16 points as five Celtics reached double figures. But Boston was just 10 of 33 from 3-point range. Marcus Smart had 13 points and eight rebounds off the bench.

"It's not ideal for us," Crowder said. "Definitely don't (want to) put yourself in a 0-2 hole having home-court advantage, but it's not the end of the world for us.

"We have the unit to go to Chicago and take care of business."

NOTES: The Bulls are 14-9 against the top eight teams in the league, 13-12 against the bottom nine. ... Celtics G Avery Bradley was reportedly deciding whether he will accompany G Isaiah Thomas to Tacoma, Wash., on Wednesday for the funeral of Thomas' younger sister, Chyna. ... Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg on Thomas pregame: "He's as versatile a scorer as there is in our game right now." ... Thomas opened the game with a 3-pointer, the Celtics' club-record 1,000th of the season. The previous mark was 825. ... Thomas had his Game 1 technical foul rescinded by the league, but he got one 1:51 into Game 2. Chicago F Bobby Portis drew one in the second quarter. ... Portis, who had a huge game in the opener, played just 9:22 and had three points and three rebounds.

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