Boston 96, Chicago 80

Not much to say about this one, as the Celtics put forth an impressive defensive effort in improving to 2-0. Chicago shot 29.8% from the field for the game. 'Nuff said.

[recap] [boxscore]

That being the case, I'll make a couple quick macro points, say something about the Bulls, and check out perhaps a little more briefly than usual. Or not.

-Tony Allen is my least favorite Celtic, in large part because I just don't think he understands the game of basketball very well. Tonight's exhibit: The chucking he did with the game well in hand. I think he took shots on three straight possessions at one point, with the crowd screaming to get the ball to Brian Scalabrine and with Gabe Pruitt and Patrick O'Bryant in the game. Tony is already a part of the rotation; he doesn't need to show his scoring ability (not that he did tonight, anyway, going 1-for-8). Get the other guys involved. Even Pruitt, who is trying to show that he deserves a spot in the rotation, deferred to Scal. I'm not saying that we desperately need to get Scalabrine a bucket, but Tony should know to play unselfishly with the bomb squad in the game.

-ESPN announcers Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy made a huge deal of how into the game Boston's starters were in the last few minutes. I didn't really understand that; watching the scrubs close out a win is one of the most enjoyable parts of being a star. And they shouldn't have been surprised, either; the Cs stars did it all last year, too. And because it will give me an excuse to post my favorite YouTube link (which I've posted here before, and which I'll surely post again), they did it this preseason, as well (check the bench).

-O'Bryant needs to work his way into the rotation, or we need to find someone else to play backup center. I like Powe, and I like Glen Davis, but those guys are both undersized fours. Playing one of them at five with the other at four is just too small. And I hope that the Scalabrine-Powe-Davis frontcourt that Doc put out in the second quarter was some sort of Halloween trick-or-treat stunt.

-I realize that it's only two games into his coaching career, but have no idea what Vinnie Del Negro is doing. Three of his four best players are guards, and yet only one of them is starting. Meanwhile, he's starting two power forwards (Tyrus Thomas and Drew Gooden), and at one point in tonight's game, subbed them both out for two centers (Joakim Noah and Aaron Gray) who are limited offensively. Del Negro may not yet know what his best lineup is -- Jackson was saying it's the three-guard lineup, which I don't think Chicago has even played yet this year -- but of all the possible combos, he's played some of the worst.