Three-pointers were the difference in the Boston Celtics’ 124-113 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night. Boston made 21 threes to Chicago’s nine, a difference of 36 points between the two teams.
However, a closer look reveals another key disparity.
The Bulls were red hot all night. They shot 57.3% from the field, compared to 51.2% for the Celtics. Boston just dominated the glass. They grabbed 41 rebounds while the Bulls only grabbed 29, and the Celtics won the battle on the offensive boards 12-3.
Chicago has 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 defeated by Luke Kornet.
"Man, amazing," Al Horford said of Kornet. “His energy. Relentless on the glass. Key offensive rebounds. Tap-outs. Handed over. He does everything for us there.
Kornet finished the night with a career-high 13 rebounds, including five on the offensive end.
In a game that the Celtics won by 11 points, where three-point shooting was considered the separating factor, Kornet helped his team beat the Bulls 23-2 on second-chance points.
Boston got 13 second chance opportunities compared to four for the Bulls. Vucevic finished the game with two rebounds, while Drummond had six rebounds, five of which were defensive.
After the game, Kornet, ever the comedian, made light of his rebounding efforts.
“Effort is 80% of the battle. » Kornet said with a smile. “I guess it’s just doing it. I try hard. Yeah, kids, do your best. This is the crux of the battle. Being tall helps. And then sometimes the ball just comes to you, and other nights you try really hard, and it doesn’t come to you at all. Tonight was, thankfully, one of those other nights.
Chicago’s lack of a three-point attack may be the main storyline, but without Kornet’s rebounding, Boston might have had its winning streak snapped.
