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2024-25 NBA Regular Season
Chicago Bulls v Boston Celtics
United Center
Chicago, Illinois
Sunday 22 December 2024
Tip-off at 03:00
Boston Celtics will attempt to keep the pressure on the Eastern Conference leaders when they take on Chicago Bulls at the United Center on the morning of Sunday, December 22.
The Celtics have the second-best record in the
NBA this season (21-5) and they will be looking to build on back-to-back wins against Detroit Pistons and Washington Wizards for the double-header with the Bulls.
A 112-98 victory over the Wizards on December 16 took Joe Mazzulla's team within 1.5 games of Cleveland Cavaliers in second place, with Jayson Tatum posting a game-high 28 points and 12 rebounds.
Tatum missed the Pistons win with a knee injury, although Mazzulla claimed the small forward is "getting better" after starring in their next game.
"He worked out today, pretty good," Mazzulla said. "He'll get another small workout tomorrow, [Friday] just continue to work on it. He's getting better.
"Tendinopathy, I don't know too much about it but I do think it's just kind of something that comes and goes It's nothing serious."
The Bulls have really struggled this season and find themselves occupying one of the play-in spots in the East (9th) with a record of 12-15.
Billy Donovan's side haven't won more than two games consecutively and they'll be hoping to put a string of three victories together for the first time against Boston.
Chicago made it back-to-back wins for the third time in 2024-25 when they edged Toronto Raptors 122-121 on December 17, with seven of their players reaching double figures.
Nikola Vucevic led the scoring with 24 points, having missed the previous game through illness, and Donovan hailed the center has a calming presence in the team.
"He is a calming force out there and I thought Vuch [Vucevic] had some opportunities later in the fourth quarter and he missed them around the rim, we got it to him there," Donovan said.
"Zo [Lonzo Ball] was a big part of that, but I liked the shots that we got and, obviously he made a huge three late. Overall, I really felt like his (Vucevic's) calm, his poise and understanding on both ends of the floor is just really good and he really helped us close the game."
Chicago Bulls v Boston Celtics - Head-to-head, Regular Season
Games played: 244
Bulls wins: 109
Celtics wins: 135
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