BOSTON – There was actually a hint of enthusiasm in Josh Giddey’s voice.
The Bulls guard was standing in the visiting locker room of Boston’s TD Garden on Monday, discussing the pending rematch just a few days later.
“We get another chance at these guys so it will be good to see how we respond,” Giddey insisted after that 134-99 drubbing.
Response seen.
Everyone, cover your eyes.
For the second time in a five-day period, the rebuilding Bulls (1-5) strolled into TD Garden with high hopes only to see them thrown to the ground, stomped on and discarded with the other trash left on the court. It was another uncompetitive night against the Celtics, a 125-111 romp. And the first game of pool play in the NBA Cup wasn’t even that close.
Rookie Caleb Wilson called out everything, including the effort and himself.
“I’m 20, and I’ve never been a loser in my whole life, so I’m going to try my best to make sure that doesn’t happen, and I’m not ever going to accept being a loser,” Wilson said of trying to will the team back into it in the second half. “This is my job, to be a leader on this team, and it’s all going to start with me. I know that. It’s partially my fault that we started off the way we did, whether I’m the youngest on the team or not. I take ownership for that, and it won’t happen again.”
Boston (4-1) put on a clinic in every facet of the game from the opening tip Friday, outscoring the Bulls 44-25 in the first quarter.
The Celtics outscored the Bulls 24-10 in the paint and outshot them 67% to 32% from the field, and their bench put up 22 points compared to the Bulls second unit’s measly four in the first quarter.
It was disappointing, considering the Bulls were looking forward to seeing how they would respond against a top-tier team in the East, but even more so because they had just played one of their better games Wednesday against the defending NBA champion Knicks.
Lesson learned: Momentum in a rebuild is just a three-syllable word.
“I know our team doesn’t have superstars like Jayson Tatum and Paul George, but we’re young, and that’s going to be our advantage all year,” Wilson said. “If we’re not going to play hard, it’s not going to work. We’re going to lose every game. We’re all young; we shouldn’t be letting anyone play harder than us.”
Wilson wasn’t the only one who had something to say after a second-half play in which Payton Pritchard snatched a rebound from Matas Buzelis, knocking him to the ground, then seconds later took advantage of a Bulls turnover with a three-pointer. Buddy Hield was vocal on the bench with his teammates during the timeout.
“Buddy was just saying that we needed to have some type of pride and passion, and I agree with it, for sure,” Wilson said. “I mean, we’re the Chicago Bulls. I feel like it’s unacceptable to be looking like we are and also be laying down that early in the game.”
Wilson had 23 points, including six three-pointers, five rebounds and four assists.
But the game was disappointing overall, especially defensively, where it looked like strides were being made.
“My motto is always day-by-day,” Isaac Okoro said of the defense. “I can see us starting to be more physical, picking up full court, getting into the ball more as the game goes on because everybody is preaching it just more and more. That doesn’t mean it’s where it needs to be at all.”