The Chicago Bulls just got crushed by the Boston Celtics again. But the real story isn’t the score. It is what new Bulls head coach Tiago Splitter said after the game. He didn’t blame a lack of talent or bad luck. He pointed straight at the Celtics’ off-ball movement. According to reports, Boston ranks third in the NBA for points per game, and he explained the reasons clearly. It is not just about shooting threes. It is about constant motion and smart screens that leave defenders lost.
The Off-Ball Trap
Most teams sit still and wait for a pass. The Celtics do the opposite. Everyone moves. Splitter noted how hard it is to track the flares and cuts. “Boston is one of the best teams in the league off the ball,” Splitter said. He highlighted how difficult it is to be aware of all the flares coming. You have shooters coming off screens while Jayson Tatum sits at the top. Tatum can drive anytime. This mix makes the whole team a nightmare to guard. Per Hardwood Houdini, the Celtics are crushing opponents with these off-ball actions. They don’t need to rely on just one star to score.
It creates driving lanes and easy buckets. The defense gets scrambled trying to cover everyone. When the three-point shot drops, the offense becomes truly unguardable. Brad Stevens wanted more rim pressure all offseason. This new style is finally giving them that. It is a beautiful tweak that lets the offense take the next step. The coaching staff is maximizing the talent at their disposal.
The Turnover Nightmare
Chicago made it too easy for Boston to score. The Bulls turned the ball over 16 times in Friday’s game. They lost 25 possessions in Monday’s blowout. Boston turned those mistakes into 60 points in just two games. Yahoo Sports reports that the Celtics scored 60 points resulting from 41 turnovers by the Bulls. That is a recipe for disaster. Teams cannot win when they give up so many free shots.
Payton Pritchard was the spark that burned Chicago. He scored 30 points off the bench on Friday. Just five days earlier, he dropped 28 points in 22 minutes. Across two games, Pritchard put up 58 points against the Bulls. He hit all nine of his free throws on Friday. He made three 3-pointers and attacked the basket. The Bulls have no answer for his scoring burst. It forces the defense to pay attention to him, which opens up Tatum and Paul George even more.
The Bulls tried to shoot their way out of the hole in the second half. They doubled down on that approach. “They made a huge commitment to shooting 50 threes,” Joe Mazzulla said post-game. Chicago shot 11-of-29 in the second half. But it was too little, too late. The early damage was just too much to overcome. The Celtics are now 4-1 and won four straight. If Chicago wants to win, they must stop turning the ball over and find a way to stop Pritchard. The next meeting will be tough if they don’t fix these errors.
