The Bulls will look to extend a two-game winning streak on the road against the red-hot Celtics Thursday, but they may be without the offensive chops of shooting guard Josh Giddey.
Giddey was on pace to record his second triple double in a Chicago uniform when he left Monday night’s 122-121 victory over Toronto in the third quarter with a right ankle injury, the same ankle he injured during the Paris Olympics.
He finished with 11 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists and is questionable for Thursday’s game.
The Celtics, who have won 12 of their past 14 games, are dealing with an injury to one of their starters as well.
Kristaps Porzingis left Sunday’s 112-98 win against Washington in the first half with an injury to his right heel and sat out the second half.
“He’s getting better,” Joe Mazzulla said Tuesday. “He’s in the weight room right now. Go through some shooting and then we’ll just kind of see how he is day-to-day.”
Porzingis, averaging 19 points and seven rebounds in seven games for Boston, missed the first month of the season while recovering from offseason surgery on his left foot. He downplayed his latest injury following Sunday’s contest.
“I banged up my heel a little bit,” he said. “I kept on playing. It was nothing major, honestly. More like a precautionary thing. It was pretty sensitive. I told the medical staff and they just pulled me out of the game. I don’t think it’s anything major.”
Sam Hauser (back) is also questionable.
Thursday’s matchup will be the first of back-to-back meetings between the Bulls and Celtics, this one in Boston and Saturday’s in Chicago.
Here’s your preview.
When: Thursday, 7:30 p.m.
Where: TD Garden, Boston
TV, radio: NBCSB, WROR-FM (105.7)
Line: Boston -14.5. O/U: 243.0.
BULLS
Season record: 12-15. vs. spread: 13-13, 1 push. Over/under: 16-11
Last 10 games: 5-5. vs. spread: 5-4, 1 push. Over/under: 6-4
CELTICS
Season record: 21-5. vs. spread: 10-16. Over/under: 12-13, 1 push
Last 10 games: 8-2. vs. spread: 3-7. Over/under: 4-6
TEAM STATISTICS
Points per game: Chicago 118.9, Boston 119.9
Points allowed per game: Chicago 121.9, Boston 109.8
Field goal percentage: Chicago .474, Boston .458
Opponent field goal percentage: Chicago .481, Boston .461
3-point percentage: Chicago .378, Boston .372
Opponent 3-point percentage: Chicago .344, Boston .350
Stat of the day: The Celtics lead the NBA in 3-pointers made at 494, with the Bulls trailing the defending champions in second with 446.
Notes: The Bulls have remained competitive and hung around a .500 record largely due to their offensive production, particularly from 3-point range. … Although the Bulls were without leading scorer Zach Lavine (back) for Monday’s win against the Raptors, Chicago connected on 14 3-pointers. Lavine, who is averaging 21.7 points per game, is a player who has been mentioned frequently in trade rumors. In a league with tons of 3-point shooting variance, the Bulls have shown consistency, having knocked down at least 10 of them in 27 consecutive games, a franchise record. … In 27 games with the Bulls, Giddey is averaging 11 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 6.9 assists per game. … In the teams’ first meeting this season, Jayson Tatum racked up 35 points and 14 rebounds to lift Boston to a 138-129 road win in Chicago on Nov. 29.
Aiden Sprole can be reached at [email protected].
