Three-pointers were the notable difference in the Boston Celtics’ 124-113 win over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night. Boston nailed 21 threes to Chicago’s nine — a 36-point difference between the two sides.
However, a deeper look reveals another key disparity.
The Bulls were red-hot all night long. They shot 57.3% from the field, to the Celtics’ 51.2%. Boston just dominated the glass. They snagged 41 rebounds while the Bulls only corralled 29, and the Celtics won the battle on the offensive boards 12-3.
Chicago rosters two guys who average more than eight rebounds per game: Nikola Vucevic, a double-double machine, and Andre Drummond, one of the best rebounders of the last decade. Both were outdueled by Luke Kornet.
“Man, unbelievable,” Al Horford said of Kornet. “His energy. Relentless on the glass. Key offensive rebounds. Tap-outs. Put-backs. He’s doing everything for us down there.”
Kornet finished the night with a career-high 13 rebounds, including five on the offensive end.
In a game the Celtics won by 11 points, where three-pointers were viewed as the separating factor, Kornet helped his squad outscore the Bulls 23-2 on second-chance points.
Boston earned 13 second-chance opportunities to the Bulls’ four. Vucevic finished the game with two rebounds, while Drummond managed six, five of which were defensive.
After the game, Kornet, always the comedian, made light of his rebounding efforts.
“Effort is like 80% of the battle,” Kornet said with a smile. “I guess it’s just doing it. Trying hard. Yeah, kids, just try hard. That’s most of the battle. Being tall helps. And then, sometimes, the ball just kind of comes to you, and other nights, you try really hard, and it doesn’t come to you at all. Tonight was, fortunately, one of those other nights.”
Chicago’s lack of a three-point attack may be the main storyline, but without Kornet’s rebounding, Boston may have had their win streak snapped.
