The Bulls and the Celtics will take the court on Monday for an Eastern Conference clash. The Bulls are 2-1 against the Celtics this season. They won 121-107 in the most recent matchup on Nov. 21 in Chicago.
Jayson Tatum ACTIVE, Tony Bradley OUT for Celtics vs. Bulls game
With roughly half of the season remaining, the Celtics lead the Eastern Conference. They are, however, only 1.5 games ahead of the Nets and 2.5 games ahead of Milwaukee. It won’t be easy to stay ahead of the pack, but if anyone can do it, it’s the defending EC champions.
Jayson Tatum scored 34 points (13-26 FG, 5-10 3Pt, 3-5 FT), grabbed four rebounds, and assisted twice in Saturday’s 121-116 victory over the San Antonio Spurs.
Tatum’s scoring numbers were once again gaudy, but he fell short in other categories. The MVP candidate was a member of a third-quarter unit that allowed the Spurs to re-enter the game. While Tatum was the team’s leading scorer, it was Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams, and Derrick White who really kept the game alive.
Tatum and the Celtics return home to face the Bulls on Monday, a team that has frustrated Boston this season.
The Chicago Bulls have won three straight games, defeating Brooklyn, Philadelphia, and Utah. Chicago had a significant three-game winning streak after losing consecutive games to Cleveland. But the difficult stretch isn’t getting any easier. The Bulls play Boston on Monday and Golden State on Friday.
| PLAYER | POSITION | UPDATED | INJURY | INJURY STATUS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tony Bradley | C | Sun, Jan 8 | Covid-19 | Expected to be out until at least Jan 11 |
| Alex Caruso | SG | Sun, Jan 8 | Ankle | Game Time Decision |
| Javonte Green | PF | Sun, Jan 8 | Knee | Game Time Decision |
Tony Bradley is listed as out for Monday’s game in Boston due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
Bradley has not been a regular member of the Bulls’ rotation at any point this season, so his continued absence on Monday will have no bearing on how head coach Billy Donovan distributes minutes among his frontcourt players.
