Boston begins Group C against a Chicago team it beat by 35, with two days of rest and five starter matchups from the first game to watch again.
Boston's starters hold edges at center and in shooting, but Chicago's free-throw volume and rebounding are where Monday night could turn.
After a 38-point debut and a 22-point lead lost in Detroit, Boston faces the champions with four things to fix, from George's defense to Tatum's shot diet.
The Celtics re-signed Payton Pritchard to a two-year, $44.2 million extension that would make him their third-highest-paid player in 2028-29. The yearly salaries are calculated, not announced.
| Player | GP | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | FG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jayson Tatum | 5 | 36.0 | 27.6 | 6.4 | 7.8 | 43.4 |
| Paul George | 5 | 30.6 | 21.4 | 6.0 | 4.4 | 46.9 |
| Payton Pritchard | 5 | 27.8 | 16.6 | 2.2 | 3.6 | 48.1 |
| Derrick White | 5 | 29.2 | 11.8 | 3.6 | 5.8 | 46.9 |
| Sam Hauser | 5 | 20.8 | 9.0 | 3.4 | 1.2 | 50.0 |
| Neemias Queta | 5 | 19.6 | 9.0 | 4.8 | 1.2 | 58.3 |
| Mitchell Robinson | 5 | 20.0 | 6.6 | 4.6 | 0.6 | 82.4 |
| Mike Conley | 1 | 7.0 | 6.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 100.0 |
| Jordan Walsh | 5 | 17.2 | 5.2 | 4.0 | 0.8 | 43.5 |
| Luka Garza | 5 | 9.0 | 4.6 | 2.2 | 0.6 | 43.8 |
| Baylor Scheierman | 5 | 18.2 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 1.2 | 33.3 |
| Chris Cenac Jr. | 2 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 66.7 |
| Hugo Gonzalez | 5 | 11.8 | 2.6 | 2.4 | 0.6 | 36.4 |
| Ron Harper Jr. | 2 | 5.0 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 25.0 |
Three centers, one closing spot. Who finishes games in April?
Paul George replaces Jaylen Brown. How does the roster and cap sheet change?
A 20-year veteran on a minimum deal. What does the second unit gain?
