Bulls have surprisingly brief playoff run
By Saundrine Lanouette
Sports Editor
The Chicago Bulls suffered a 105-83 pounding at the hands of number one-seeded Boston Celtics on Friday, April 28, losing the series 4-2, capping off a brief appearance in the first-round of the 2017 playoffs.
The eighth-seeded Bulls stole the first two games of the series from the Celtics at TD Garden by a tally of 106 - 102 in game one and 111 - 97 in game two, according to statistics provided by the National Basketball Association.
“I thought they might make it to the semi-finals,”said HWC student Fernanda Diaz, after the Bulls took a 2-0 lead in the series. “[Rajon Rondo] was playing really well.”
Point guard Rajon Rondo, a former Celtic, proved pivotal in the first two games averaging 11.5 points-per-game, 10 assists, 8.9 rebounds and shot 43 percent from the field, according to statistics provided by the National Basketball Association.
However, after Rondo fractured his right thumb in game two and was ruled out for the rest of the series, the Bulls dropped four games in a row, with Bulls point guards averaged only .9 assists for the rest of the series.
Jimmy Butler, the Bulls starting small-forward, averaged 22.7 points per game, 4.3 assists, 7.3 rebounds and shot 43 percent from the field, according to statistics provided by the National Basketball Association.
In their four losses, the Bulls lost by a margin of 10 or more points and Celtic’s point guard Isaiah Thomas came to life averaging 21.3 points-per-game, and shot 89 percent from the free-throw line, after shooting only shooting 67 percent in games one and two, according to statistics provided by the National Basketball Association.
“They needed to play their younger players more, [Denzel] Valentine barely played,” said HWC student Adrian Diaz.
Rookie first-round pick Denzel Valentine played a total of 23 minutes the entire six-game series, according to statistics provide by the National Basketball Association.
The Celtics, who moved on to the conference semi-finals, currently hold a (insert game lead) over fifth-seeded Washington Wizards who sport one of leagues most dynamic backcourts in point guard John Wall and shooting guard Bradley Beal.
The Bulls, who have the twenty first highest payroll in the league, will be forced to make personnel decisions on eight players this offseason, most notably, shooting guard and Chicago native Dwyane Wade, who has a $23.8 million player option on his contract and averaged 18.3 points-per game and shot an underwhelming 43 percent from the field, according to statistics provided by the National Basketball Association.
“They’ll be good next year if they fire the [head] coach,” added Diaz.
Head coach Fred Hoiberg, who is in the second year of of a five-year $25 million contract, holds a 83-81 overall regular season record.
slanouettehwc@gmail.com
