3 Keys: The Chicago Bulls and Boston Celtics Couldn't Be More Different

For the first time this season, the Chicago Bulls will matchup with the Boston Celtics.

Joe Mazzulla's team represents one of only two Eastern Conference squads that Chicago has yet to face (Toronto being the other). And, all things considered, I think it's safe to say that the Bulls would have liked to get this first meeting out of the way a lot earlier. Boston has only climbed the leaderboards over the last handful of weeks after a rocky start without Jayson Tatum. They are now 22-12 and third in the Eastern Conference, going 7-3 in their last 10 games.

They have used this stretch to move into the NBA's Top 3 in net rating (7.8). The only teams that sit in front of them are the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Houston Rockets. In other words, the Celtics represent one of the toughest and most balanced opponents in the NBA right now, which sure feels troubling for a Bulls team down multiple key contributors.

With that in mind, let's go over a few keys to tonight's game as the Bulls try to even things back up at .500.

Controlling the Tempo

Tre Jones of the Chicago Bulls — Jan 3, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Tre Jones (30) passes the ball against Charlotte Hornets guard Sion James (4) during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

Take the Spider-Man meme, turn each Spider-Man around, and that's how you could compare the offenses of the Chicago Bulls and Boston Celtics.

On one side of the ball, you have a Bulls team that averages the sixth-highest assist percentage in the NBA, the fourth-most points in the paint, and the second-highest PACE in the NBA. Speed and ball movement are their bread-and-butter.

On the other side of the ball, you have a Celtics team that is dead-last in assist percentage, third-to-last in points in the paint, and dead-last again in PACE. They want to beat you by slowing things down and attacking the halfcourt. In fact, only three teams have registered more isolation possessions per game. The Bulls sit 30th in this department.

Boston also continues to chuck up more threes than almost anyone. The Golden State Warriors represent the one group currently taking and making more on a nightly basis. The Celtics toss up 43.1 attempts a night, and they also drill them at a 36.7 percent rate, which is Top 7.

For what it's worth, the Bulls have at least seen their three-point volume increase over the last month or so. But there is no question that they prefer to kill teams in transition and at the rim. If they can not make Boston play their brand of basketball tonight, things could get pretty ugly pretty fast.

Fighting on the Glass

Chicago Bulls rebound — Dec 5, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) grabs a rebound against the Indiana Pacers during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

As if Boston's style of play didn't raise enough concerns for Chicago, this is a team that also excels on the offensive boards. The Bulls have been one of the worst teams in this department all season long, and they were reminded of that in Saturday night's battle with the Charlotte Hornets.

One night after shockingly beating the Orlando Magic, the Hornets beat the Bulls by double-digits behind a 16-2 advantage in second-chance points. They out-rebounded them 13-6 on the offensive end, which included a 5-1 advantage in the final 12 minutes.

Overall, the Bulls have averaged just 13.8 second-chance points a night, which ranks 25th in the NBA. The Boston Celtics have recorded 17.2 a night, which is the fourth-highest in the league. What is most fascinating about this is the fact that they have largely taken a committee approach to the frontcourt this season after moving on from Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis.

Neemias Queta and Luka Garza have been asked to hold down the fort at the five. Meanwhile, youngsters like Jordan Walsh and Josh Minott have clocked steady minutes at power forward. All four provide relentless energy and physicality on the glass, which could prove to be extra concerning without both Jalen Smith and Zach Collins available tonight.

Nevertheless, rebounding has to be a team-wide effort against this Celtics team. Particularly when we consider their high volume of three-point shots, there are plenty of long rebounds to be had. Everyone has to be involved in not allowing the Celtics to gobble up extra possessions in a game where there may be far fewer than the Bulls are used to.

Slowing Down Jaylen Brown

Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics — Jan 3, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) shoots the ball against LA Clippers center Ivica Zubac (40) in the second half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

With the Boston Celtics losing Jayson Tatum and moving on from multiple contributors this offseason, they have been pushed out of the limelight a bit. With that in mind, I'm not sure everyone realizes how freakin' fantastic Jaylen Brown has been.

The talented wing is proving that he can single-handedly be the focal point of a winning team, putting together career-highs across the board. He is averaging 30.1 points a night on 51.0 percent shooting from the field and 37.0 percent shooting from long range. His 7.5 trips to the free throw line are by far the most of his decade-long career, as well.

Even more terrifying for the Bulls, these numbers have only gone up over his last 12 games, and he is fresh off a season-high 50 points in a +21 showing against the Clippers on Saturday night. I think it's safe to say Isaac Okoro will be the one tasked with chasing him around all night, but what if the forward gets in foul trouble? Is there anyone on this weak Bulls defense that can slow down Brown?

The Bulls have had a knack for letting superstars have some of their best and most clutch performances of the season this year, so color me concerned.