They’re starting to debunk that theory.

While their first two victories of the season required some grit and toughness, the Celtics and their stacked talent have begun to exert their will on opponents, showing how scary good they can be. For a second consecutive game, they took care of an inferior team with extreme ease. Sparked by another hot start, the Celtics crushed the Pacers – who were without All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton – with a comically dominant 155-104 victory at TD Garden that was never in doubt from the opening tip.

The 155 points mark the second-most the Celtics have scored ever in a regular-season game, only behind the 173 they scored in a win over the Minneapolis Lakers on Feb. 27, 1959.

“You see the last two games, it shows how special we can be,” said Sam Hauser, who scored 17 points off the bench.

Jayson Tatum scored 30 points with 12 rebounds, Derrick White added 18 and Jaylen Brown had 16 in the rout. Like Monday’s blowout in Washington, D.C., the Celtics rested their starters for the entire fourth quarter. Each of the players in that group played 27 minutes or fewer, which should have long-term benefits for the Celtics with how much they will rely on that group throughout the season, especially if they continue to pummel teams like this.

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla has been emphasizing a renewed mindset of toughness and focus for his players, and it’s already paying off. They needed it in crunch time of their close opening victories over the Knicks and Heat. And once vulnerable to horrible losses to inferior teams, the Celtics have not overlooked their opponents this week.

So far, the Celtics have taken each game seriously – and have not let up in doing so.

“I think there’s a maturity, a competitive nature, being able to just lock into whoever you’re playing against,” Jrue Holiday said. “I know there’s times where there’s a lesser caliber team or how you look at a team on a stat sheet and you can be like, ‘Well this can be an easy night for us.’ But I think that’s a part of the mindset we’re having is that each game is different, each game is an NBA game, so each player is an NBA player and any night they can go out and give you 40, 50 points. So I think as a team we really locked into that mentality.”

On Wednesday, they took it to a different level.

The Celtics, just like Monday, were unstoppable offensively to start the game. They went on a 14-0 run in the opening minutes, a stretch that was a testament to how scary they can be offensively. They hit three consecutive 3-pointers, and then that opened space inside for Kristaps Porzingis and Jaylen Brown to flush easy dunks.

The Celtics were up 44-27 after the first quarter. The Pacers entered the night allowing the fewest 3-pointers in the league at nine per game, but they hadn’t faced a team like the Celtics, who scorched them for eight 3-pointers in the opening period. The C’s shot 76.2 percent from the field in the first, and while they didn’t continue at that pace, they continued to dominate.

Tatum scored 12 of his 30 in the second quarter as he attacked mismatches like T.J. McConnell. The Celtics had their way with the Pacers, whether it was through post-ups, 3-pointers or easy ones at the rim. The C’s were so dominant that they barely needed Porzingis, who scored just seven points in the first half. The Celtics put up 75 in the first half, two shy of their first half total on Monday in Washington. It’s believed to be the first time in franchise history that the Celtics put up at least 75 first-half points in back-to-back games.

It was just too easy.

“First play of the game was for me and I had a post-up. I could’ve found someone,” Holiday said. “Because of the talent that we have, who are you gonna guard?”

The Celtics continued to show signs of growth in the second half. Too often last season, they were guilty of letting go of the rope against inferior teams. Even when they built big leads, they lost focus and lost them. So far this season, they’ve made sure that’s not a problem.

The Celtics led by 21 at halftime after another blistering hot offensive first half and kept their foot on the gas pedal. They opened the second half on a 12-1 run to open their lead to 32, forcing a Pacers timeout less than 90 seconds in.

There was never a threat of a comeback after that. The Celtics led by as many as 53 late in the fourth quarter as the bench bounced back to put up 46 in the final period.

“I think that’s the mental toughness,” Mazzulla said. “Those games in the NBA you see all the time. I think it was 75-56, and we’re going to be in that situation against and it might not go well. But tonight, we showed maturity and mental toughness to like, we went on a run and made them call a timeout. You see games in the NBA where it doesn’t always go that way; you have a team that comes out with a 6-to-8-0 run, and then the dynamic of the game changes.

“Our guys are well aware of that and hats off to them for just competing at a high, high level the entire game.”

It’s early, but the Celtics have looked like the superior team that was expected. It seems like the only obstacle in their way is themselves, but there hasn’t been a hint of complacency yet from this group.

“I think sometimes it can get hard,” Holiday said. “It’s the first five games and everybody’s excited. It’s new and obviously it’s different when you’re at home and you’re playing in front of your crowd.

“But then on an away game playing a team you think you’re better than, what do you do? Can you challenge yourself to lock in and just humble yourself and know that they’re also an NBA team and go out there and execute the way a team is supposed to?”

The Pacers knew it was time, too.

Before he signed with the Celtics on a two-year deal early in free agency, Brissett had a conversation with Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan about the future. They both agreed Indiana was not the right place for the 25-year-old forward.

“It was more of like a mutual respect, talking to Chad,” Brissett said Wednesday before facing his former team for the first time. “He understood where I’m at right now in my career and what I need to kind of move forward. We talked on the phone a couple times and he felt like, and myself felt like it was time for a change and I felt like I needed to be here with a team that’s really going in that championship direction. Not to say they aren’t, obviously they’re looking for that, but right now they’re building up and they drafted a couple young guys, so that’s what they’re working to do.

“So, it was nothing but love with the Pacers, and like I said, I’ll always respect them and I’ll always thank them for me being here.”

While the Celtics boast a top-heavy roster, Brissett is expected to be a significant contributor off the bench. He already flashed his impact in last Friday’s home opener, when Jayson Tatum credited him with changing the game with his offensive rebounding in the first quarter.

It’s something the Pacers saw with regularity.

“He’s in the top two or three percentile in the league as an offensive rebounder,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “He’s a great runner. His shooting got better and better and athletically, he’s terrific. He’s tough, he takes charges, and he’s one of the greatest teammates you’re ever gonna have. Being one of eight or nine in this rotation tells you something about what kind of player he is, because cracking this rotation ain’t easy.”

Nesmith motivated by tweet

When Aaron Nesmith, the Celtics’ No. 14 pick in the 2020 draft, was traded to the Pacers last summer in the Malcolm Brogdon deal, a tweet from Bleacher Report struck a chord. The tweet included the caption, “What the Celtics gave up for Brogdon,” accompanied by a photo of a paper clip and string, insinuating they gave up nothing.

Nesmith saved the tweet. And after he went off for 26 points in a win over the Cavaliers last weekend, he posted the tweet to his Instagram story and added his own commentary: “(Expletive) aged well ain’t it.”

“I’m someone who I do take things personally and that helps make me better,” Nesmith said. “It’s what drives me to go to the gym at night, so the tweet was always on my mind for sure.”

Nesmith said he continues to look at that tweet occasionally for motivation. It seems to be working. Once struggling to find playing time on a loaded Celtics team, Nesmith has found a perfect fit in Indiana, where he inked a three-year, $33 million extension before this season began.

“It’s a blessing, the opportunity I have here, the guys here, the staff here, the front office,” Nesmith said. “I wanted to be here for a long time, so I’m happy we were able to make that happen.”

Carlisle raved about Nesmith, who overcame a difficult situation in Boston and has grown in several areas in the last year in Indiana.

“There just wasn’t a lot of time for him to play and so that was challenging,” Carlisle said. “So when he would get in for short stints, it’s tough. I was one of those players that frequently was in that situation. It’s one of the most challenging things. But he’s clearly a guy who has taken advantage of an amazing opportunity with us. He really fits our organization, what we stand for, what we’re building, who we are going to be. Couldn’t be happier to have him on board.”

Walsh heads to Maine

Jordan Walsh, the Celtics’ No. 38 pick in June’s draft, was assigned to the Maine Celtics. It’s not a surprising move, given he’s unlikely to play much in Boston this season. Maine’s G-League schedule begins next week.

“Jordan’s got a chance at the 3-and-D slot of what the NBA is,” C’s coach Joe Mazzulla. “And he plays really, really hard. I thought he had a really good training camp with just the developmental team and the things that he’s learning. And you just need reps. Like, it’s exactly what we talked about with these other guys.

“You’ve gotta have reps and you have to develop a defensive identity first and then you have to know ways to affect offense. And then once you do those two things you can kind of grow into other roles. But the most important thing is he competes defensively and he figures out how to create 2-on-1s on offense with or without the ball.” …

Neemias Queta was out for a second consecutive game for the Celtics as he continues to nurse a lingering foot injury. Mazzulla said they’re just being cautious and they’ll see how it responds over the next week. … Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton was out of Wednesday’s game due to an ankle sprain.

Within hours of the Harden deal being reported late Monday, LaVine’s name popped up in “early chatter” as a trade target for the 76ers, according to Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix.

LaVine would give the 76ers a scoring and playmaking threat to help replace Harden in the backcourt. And the 76ers have stocked up on future draft picks that could make for a tempting offer if the Bulls front office decides to rebuild.

But after a shootaround in Dallas ahead of Wednesday’s game against the Mavericks, LaVine said he has received no communication from the Bulls front office about a potential trade and feels confident in his role in Chicago.

“I’ve been traded before,” LaVine told the Tribune. “Trades are just part of the business and guys get shuffled around every year. I’ve been in trade talks since I’ve been here for some reason.

“I feel like I’ve held up my end of the bargain in my commitment to the Bulls, but there’s not a lot you can do with rumors and people putting your name in trade talks.”

LaVine noted that every trade is different. Some players have the opportunity to collaborate with the front office and their agent on a trade; for instance, Harden’s move to Los Angeles was coordinated through a long, drawn-out ordeal between the 76ers front office and the three-time scoring champion’s camp.

But that hasn’t been the case for LaVine. His trade to the Bulls in 2017 came as a shock.

LaVine was fresh off his third season with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Despite being in recovery from ACL surgery, he felt good about his performance after averaging a then-career-high 18.9 points. He received no indication from the Timberwolves front office that a trade was possible heading into draft night — until his then-agent, Billy Duff, called him minutes before the No. 16 pick went in.

LaVine learned he had been traded to the Bulls with Kris Dunn and Lauri Markkanen — whom the Timberwolves had selected at No. 7 — in exchange for Jimmy Butler and No. 16 pick Justin Patton. He didn’t have the chance to talk with his teammates or Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor until after the trade went through.

“I was completely blindsided,” LaVine said. “You have to learn the business really fast early on in the NBA.”

LaVine said he tries not to think often about the possibility of being traded by the Bulls. He also feels assured they would provide upfront communication before making a major move.

“I feel like I’m in a good situation now where, if anything were to happen, they would let me know,” he said. “I have good communication with them and my agent.

“But there’s been stars traded before, high-level guys, who didn’t know about it as well. You’ve just got to hope you have a good relationship — or at least you have a heads up for the family.”

LaVine feels he has proved his commitment to the Bulls, but he also has been realistic throughout the start of the season. This is the third year of a roster built around the trio of DeMar DeRozan, Nikola Vučević and LaVine — and the seventh season featuring LaVine as the face of the team. During that span, the Bulls have made the playoffs only once.

It’s clear to LaVine that if things don’t change this season, the Bulls front office will be forced to make roster moves. But in the short term, he’s focused on getting the offense off the ground — and not on trade buzz.

“You take it with a grain of salt,” he said. “It doesn’t affect me because at this point I’m in my 10th year. It’s nothing I haven’t heard before. It’s unbothering to me.”

()

The Chicago Sky are looking ahead after naming a new head coach and general manager.

Every Wednesday throughout the season, Tribune writers will provide an update on what happened — and what’s ahead for the Bulls, Sky and local hoops.

Chicago Bulls finish whirlwind first week of the season 2-2

The Bulls could not have gotten off to a rockier start — a blowout loss and a players meeting on the first night of the season. Players were furious after taking an “unacceptable” 124-104 beating from the Oklahoma City Thunder at home. They responded two nights later by scrabbling for an overtime win punctuated by an 18-point fourth quarter from DeMar DeRozan and a game-winning 3-pointer by Alex Caruso.

But the win didn’t shake off any of the uncertainty facing the Bulls. They dropped a 118-102 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Saturday despite a career-high 51-point performance from Zach LaVine, then grinded out a 112-105 win over the Indiana Pacers on Monday by slowing things down on the defensive end.

Despite very little turnover in the roster, things still aren’t clicking for the Bulls. Their offensive rating is sixth-lowest in the league (104.5) and their defense hasn’t been as smothering as it was last season. The offense has succeeded in taking more 3-pointers only to see their accuracy plummet to 29.4%.

“It’s something that we have to figure out,” LaVine said after the loss in Detroit. “The first through games, we haven’t gotten 100% of it yet. We’re trying to figure out something that isn’t working. We’re gonna stick with it though.”

Chicago Sky find their new head coach and general manager

The Chicago Sky set the stage for a new era over the past week as they filled the head coach and general manager positions.

Teresa Weatherspoon introduced herself to Chicago last Tuesday in a news conference with chairman Nadia Rawlinson and star Kahleah Copper. Weatherspoon will be a first-time coach in the WNBA after serving as head coach for Louisiana Tech and an assistant coach for the New Orleans Pelicans. The Hall of Famer’s selection as head coach was met with immediate enthusiasm from Copper and her teammates, who feel Weatherspoon’s vision for the Sky fits their identity as players.

“From the very first conversation, we connected over energy,” Copper said. “I’ve never had a coach that could really match my energy and that really hit me.”

On Tuesday, the Sky named Jeff Pagliocca their new general manager. This will be the first time the franchise has split the positions of general manager and head coach. Pagliocca worked with the Sky over the past four seasons as a player development coach and adviser to the head coach. His experience as a talent scout and skills coach will be critical for the Sky to acquire and develop the correct personnel to fit with Weatherspoon’s system.

What to know about the NBA in-season tournament

The Bulls play their first game of the in-season tournament Friday against the Brooklyn Nets. The night will feel like any other regular-season game — except the jersey and courts will be different and the stakes will be higher for players.

The in-season tournament is a new addition for the NBA designed to raise the interest and competition level of games throughout the first three months of the season. Teams were seeded into groups of five based on their record in the 2022-23 season. The Bulls are in Eastern Conference Group C with the Nets, Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors and Orlando Magic.

Each team will play four group-stage games and the top team will advance to a knockout round, along with an additional wild-card team from each conference.

The Bulls will play three more group-stage games this month:

• Nov. 17 vs. Orlando Magic
• Nov. 24 at Toronto Raptors
• Nov. 28 at Boston Celtics

If they win their group, they will advance to the quarterfinals which take place on Dec. 4-5. The semifinal and final games of the tournament will be hosted at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The league is incentivizing player performance in the tournament through financial prizes. Each player on the championship team will receive $500,000; players on the second-place team will receive $200,000; players on the losing semifinalist teams will receive $100,000; and players on the losing quarterfinalist teams will receive $50,000.

Could Skylar Diggins-Smith join the Chicago Sky?

WNBA free agency is only months away and one player in particular has become an item of interest in Chicago: Skylar Diggins-Smith.

It’s clear that Diggins-Smith will not return to Phoenix after her relationship with the team and fellow star Diana Taurasi grew contentious over the last two years. The six-time All-Star took to social media last week and asked fans to submit their pitches for which teams she should look at as she enters free agency this January.

Diggins-Smith would be an asset to any team, but especially for the Sky, who spent most of last season scrambling for a solution at point guard. The Sky spent most of this year converting Courtney Williams from shooting guard to point guard, a challenging transition that didn’t allow high-scoring stars like Marina Mabrey and Kahleah Copper to play to their full potential.

The Sky need to make a change at point guard. Could Diggins-Smith be the answer? The key is making the right pitch to one of the most sought-after free agents this winter.

Weatherspoon brings a new level of recruiting star power to the Sky front office — and also has a long-standing relationship with Diggins-Smith. Copper also embraced the idea in an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times.

“Skylar would be a great fit,” Copper said. “I think she would help us get another championship.”

Signing Diggins-Smith could have another impact on the Sky roster — the future of Dana Evans, another local point guard from Indiana.

Evans has been patiently waiting in the wings for three seasons, holding down a key role as the first player off the bench for the Sky last season. But if the Sky commit to yet another starting point guard in free agency, Evans could become antsy to find a new home where she has a more visible path into the starting lineup.

Number of the week: 51

Zach LaVine scored a career–high 51 points in Saturday’s loss against the Detroit Pistons. His scoring made up exactly half the Bulls’ total offense — which finished with 102 points — but wasn’t enough to lift the team to a win.

LaVine went 19-for-32 from the field and also tallied four rebounds, but did not register a single assist in the game. He was the first player to score more than 50 points without an assist since 2018, when Klay Thompson accomplished the same feat with the Golden State Warriors.

The explosive scoring session came after a sluggish start for LaVine, who scored a combined 24 points on 7-for-30 shooting through the opening two games of the season. LaVine has been dealing with back stiffness throughout the opening week, which partially impacted his play. Despite being listed on the injury report due to back spasms on Saturday, he chose to play the second game of a back-to-back on the road in Detroit.

“Obviously, I wasn’t happy with the way I was performing and the way the offense was looking,” LaVine said. “I came out wanting to be real aggressive. Obviously, I got it going. It’s upsetting, you have a performance like that and lose. It sucks.”

Week ahead: Bulls

• Wednesday: @ Dallas Mavericks, 7:30 p.m., NBC Sports Chicago
• Thursday: Off
• Friday: vs. Nets, in-season tournament, 7 p.m., NBC Sports Chicago
• Saturday: @ Denver Nuggets, 8 p.m., NBCSCH+, NBA TV
• Sunday: Off
• Monday: vs. Utah Jazz, 7 p.m., NBC Sports Chicago
• Tuesday: Off

What we’re reading this morning

• Zach LaVine frustrated with shaky Bulls offense after his career night: ‘We’re trying to figure out something that isn’t working’
• Column: Teresa Weatherspoon is here to ‘stir things up’ for the Sky, but the GM will be key to the recipe
• Can anyone challenge Purdue? A team-by-team look at the Big Ten for the 2023-24 season.
• Who can catch Iowa in the Big Ten women’s race? Ohio State, Illinois and Indiana are eager to mix it up.
• Caitlin Clark’s production and panache make her a women’s basketball ambassador, a role she embraces at Iowa
• Column: There’s nothing wrong with trash talk in women’s sports — it’s the reactions to it that sometimes turn ugly
• ‘There’s a defiance to him’: How Coby White redefined his game to get a 2nd chance as the Bulls starting point guard
• What to know about the Bulls roster — and the expectations for the 2023-24 NBA season

Quotable

“I am one who has been told many times, ‘no.’ I am one who has (seen) doors closed many times. If you don’t get in the door, you got to get in a window. So I’m coming through the window. They don’t call me Spoon for nothing, I’m here to stir things up.” — Chicago Sky coach Teresa Weatherspoon

()

All three of their main stars finished with 20 or more points: Nikola Vučević scored 24, Zach LaVine 23 and DeMar DeRozan 20.

Here are six takeaways from the win.

1. Nikola Vučević led the offense.

The Bulls targeted Vučević from the jump, utilizing pick-and-rolls with DeRozan and Coby White to create better looks for the center in the paint.

The Pacers chose to play center Myles Turner in drop coverage, which could have tempted Vučević to settle for outside shots. Instead he continued to drive directly into the teeth of the defense, racking up 24 points despite a slow shooting start.

Vučević voiced frustration after the season opener that the Bulls weren’t finding him enough — a consistent complaint since they acquired him from the Orlando Magic at the 2021 trade deadline. But he felt properly involved in the offense Monday, tallying three assists and 17 rebounds in addition to his scoring.

With 1:55 left and a 3-point lead, Vučević found himself open in the corner. He waved his arms frantically to call for a skip pass from DeRozan, then drove into the paint for a layup and drew a foul. The three-point play gave the Bulls the cushion they needed.

2. A 4th-quarter turnaround.

For the first three quarters, the momentum never changed. The Pacers never led by more than eight. The Bulls couldn’t get past tying the score. But that momentum shifted in the fourth quarter.

The Bulls tied the score with a pair of DeRozan free throws with 4:48 remaining, then pulled ahead when Alex Caruso broke out in transition to throw down a dunk. From there, it was if a dam broke in the paint: The Bulls made four consecutive layups en route to a 17-8 run to close the game.

3. Another clutch win despite an excruciating final minute.

The final minute drew out into another convoluted, razor-thin finish plagued with irregularities.

LaVine was called for a technical foul after he attempted to rip the ball out of Andrew Nembhard’s arms during a timeout. Caruso threw away a pass and Buddy Hield capitalized with a fast-break 3-pointer. DeRozan was called for a foul on Hield’s 3-point attempt with 12.4 seconds remaining, only for Bulls coach Billy Donovan to successfully challenge the call.

But despite breaking down in certain areas, the Bulls did not fully crumble in their second clutch game of the season — both of them wins.

4. Defense slowed the high-flying Pacers.

The Pacers entered with one of the highest-scoring offenses in the league with a 128.2 offensive rating through two games. But the Bulls slowed that pace considerably, holding the Pacers to 105 points.

Indiana’s stars still showed out: Turner scored 20 points, and Tyrese Haliburton added 19. But the Bulls were able to stifle the Pacers offense in the margins by slowing the pace and keeping them from running the court.

5. 3-point attempts were down, accuracy was up.

After averaging 36.3 attempts behind the arc in their first three games, the Bulls reverted to the norm. They finished 6-for-17 (35%) from 3-point range, while the Pacers were 12-for-46 (26.1%). The 17 attempts is less than half the league average of 35.3.

As a result, 3-pointers were only 18% of the Bulls’ total shot selection, compared with their season average of 31.1%.

But it was an improvement in accuracy for the Bulls, who were shooting 28.4% from 3-point range before Monday. And Donovan noted that the Bulls were more prolific at the rim — rather than settling for midrange jumpers — which was a preferable reason to take fewer 3-pointers.

However, it also showcased the difficulty of matching offensive pace with a low volume of 3-pointers. Even though the Pacers shot below 30% from 3-point range, they outscored the Bulls 36-18 behind the arc.

6. Jevon Carter logged his 1st double-digit performance.

Carter tallied 11 points in his best performance as a Bull. He came off the bench late in the first quarter and made an immediate impact, carving his way into the paint and hitting a needed 3-pointer. He finished with two assists, a blocked shot and a steal.

Donovan stuck with Carter at point guard for the bulk of the fourth quarter after White suffered a nasty collision with Aaron Nesmith. White briefly went to the locker room with a trainer but quickly returned to the bench, closing the game alongside Caruso.

()

Both in the regular season and playoffs, they routinely lost games they shouldn’t. They made a habit of playing down to inferior opponents.

Monday night in Washington, D.C., would have been a prime example. After two exciting, high-profile victories against the Knicks and Heat to start the season, last season’s Celtics may have suffered a letdown against the rebuilding Wizards.

Not so much this time.

In what may be a sign of the Celtics’ improved maturity, they handled business easily. Jaylen Brown scored 36 points and Jayson Tatum had 33 – both in just three quarters – as the C’s blitzed the Wizards from the opening tip and never looked back in a dominant 126-107 victory.

The Celtics were on fire from the jump. They led 37-11 at one stage in the first quarter, scored 77 points in the first half and led by as many as 37 points late in the third quarter as they had absolutely no problem against the Wizards’ porous defense. Leading by 33 entering the fourth, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla pulled his starters.

Mazzulla acknowledged that those letdowns from last season were something they addressed, but cautioned that it was still one game.

“Just because it’s a sign of growth now doesn’t mean it may not happen at some point,” Mazzulla told reporters in Washington. “We’re definitely aware of that and something we think we can control is the way we come out and start games. We just have too many good players and we have a chance, so I think we’re really trying to make sure we come out with the right mindset every single game. …

“It doesn’t mean it’s going to go our way, but I really liked our approach to the game throughout the majority of it.”

The C’s are now 3-0, marking the first time they’ve had such a start in back-to-back seasons since 1976 and 1977.

“It’s important that we get off to a good start to the season,” Brown told reporters. “Mindset, mentality is something that we’ve all been preaching, Joe has made sure that he’s emphasizing that. As a leader on the team, I’ve been making sure we’ve been emphasizing that. We gotta run through the finish line. It’s nights like tonight where it’s easy to take your foot off the gas, but if you want to do what you say you want to do, you gotta come out and play the game the right way.”

Some takeaways from the Celtics’ victory:

– Brown was criticized for a less-than-stellar season-opening performance, when he scored just 11 points and didn’t take a shot in the fourth quarter. But Mazzulla praised him for having the right mindset, staying engaged and making some winning plays. The Celtics knew that with how loaded their roster is, that big nights will inevitably come for each of their stars.

Brown responded with a 27-point night against the Heat. On Monday, it was clear that Brown had the hot hand again. The Celtics rightfully fed him. Brown scored 27 points in the first half, including tying a Celtics record with seven 3-pointers. At one point, he had 25 points in just 17 minutes played. While Brown forced shots and made several bad decision in the season opener, he’s righted the ship over the last two games with smart and confident performances.

“(He’s) patient, getting to his spot, good shot selection,” Mazzulla said of Brown. “Not even the last two games, but what I’ve seen from him since the preseason is a dedication to defense regardless of how his offense is going, and so that to me is huge for us when a guy like him can play defensively regardless of how it’s going and then he’s really picking and choosing his spots well. He’s gotta continue to stay in that mind frame.”

– One sequence in the first quarter may have summed up the night.

The Celtics were already leading comfortably when Wizards guard Jordan Poole had the ball in transition. With Kristaps Porzingis in his path, Poole turned his back and then put up a wildly casual turnaround 3-pointer. But Porzingis was all over him, blocked the shot and then ran the floor, where he put in another easy basket.

Porzingis, who played the last two seasons in Washington before his trade to Boston this summer, returned and feasted on an easy matchup against the small Wizards, who started Kyle Kuzma at center. The Celtics big man scored 10 points in the first quarter as part of the team’s dominant offensive start that saw them make 10 of their first 12 shots and shoot 64 percent in the opening period.

– The Celtics’ starters, unsurprisingly, have taken up the bulk of the scoring production. For a second consecutive game, they combined to score 100-plus points on Monday. But they haven’t got much from their bench so far. The bench scored just eight points against the Heat, and even with the benefit of the starters being pulled for the fourth quarter, only combined for 26 on Monday. Payton Pritchard went 0-for-8, including 0-for-6 from 3-point range, and the bench scored just 18 points in the fourth as the Wizards cut their deficit to 16 late.

Most nights, it won’t matter, because the Celtics’ top six is so talented. But there will be times when a bench player needs to step up, and the C’s would benefit from having another trusted depth scoring option. It’s certainly still early, but it’s something to watch for as the season progresses.

– Despite their dominance on Monday, ball security remained an issue for the Celtics as they committed 18 turnovers. It’s an early, concerning theme after they committed 13 and 15 turnovers against the Knicks and Heat, respectively.

Last season was unpredictable for Drummond. When he was on the court, he gave the Bulls a presence around the rim, finishing second on the team with 6.6 rebounds per game despite averaging less than 13 minutes. But his playing time was rarely consistent.

Drummond would go weeks without getting more than six minutes in a game — even sitting out as a healthy scratch for five of seven games in mid-January — then would turn around to log more than 15 minutes the following week.

When Drummond exercised his $3.36 million player option for 2023-24 in June, he sat down with coach Billy Donovan to define more specific expectations for this season.

“We really took a deep dive into what I can do to help this team on both ends of the court,” Drummond said. “My passing ability, being able to get our guys open when I do have the ball, (being able) to set screens and duck in and be able to pass the ball and post — those are some of the things I’ve been good at throughout my career.”

The stop-and-start rhythm of Drummond’s playing time was a symptom of greater issues for the Bulls. The offense leaned more and more heavily on DeMar DeRozan as the season progressed. As a result, every other player’s role flattened out.

Drummond always will have shifting responsibilities. He’s less effective against small-ball rotations but can pummel teams that rely on stretch forwards. But last season it wasn’t always clear what the Bulls wanted from the veteran center.

“For Andre, some of that role for him changed,” Donovan said. “It went from one thing to another.”

Drummond has seen a slight uptick in court time so far this season, playing more than 12 minutes in all three games and averaging 14.3 entering Monday night’s 112-105 victory over the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. He also hopes to factor as more of a playmaker this season, utilizing his passing out of the paint as an option to spread the floor and feed perimeter shooting.

Drummond acknowledged that the Bulls rely heavily on isolation plays to fuel the offense, particularly when Zach LaVine or DeRozan is on the court. That can make it tough for posts to assert themselves, but Drummond and starting center Nikola Vučević have to find ways to create movement away from the ball.

Playmaking would require improved decision-making from Drummond, who had 75 turnovers to 33 assists last season. But Donovan believes Drummond and Vučević can operate as an axis to move the ball through the paint.

“From a spacing perspective, we’re putting him in positions where he knows exactly what he’s supposed to be doing,” Donovan said. “We need him to have a clear head and a clear understanding of what he’s got to do.”

That clear understanding includes areas for growth, even for a 12-year veteran. Donovan challenged Drummond, 30, to clean up specific details of his game.

Drummond’s calling card is his ability to overpower defenders in the paint, drawing fouls as he muscles his way to the basket. But he didn’t always take advantage of those opportunities, making only 53.6% of his free throws and 66% of his shots at the rim last season.

Donovan also hopes to utilize Drummond more effectively in transition. Despite being 6-foot-11 and 279 pounds, Drummond can be nimble for his size in the open court — just ask Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren, whom Drummond dropped to the hardwood with a transition crossover in the season opener.

Donovan wants Drummond to establish post-ups quicker in transition to create opportunities to seal and score on mismatches before defenses can get set — a tactic that relies on Drummond’s shot-making around the rim to prove effective.

If Drummond can improve in these areas, the shift in his role this season would be natural — not just a menace around the rim but a full-fledged asset for the offense.

()

Brian Wacker: A week after the Ravens looked like an NBA team constantly on the fast break, Lamar Jackson struggled to find open receivers against a Cardinals defense that was dropping into coverage, especially early, and the offense stagnated. The Ravens have a habit of playing down to lesser opponents and did so once again. After their opening drive in which they went 75 yards in 10 plays and picked up five first downs, with Jackson completing 6 of 7 passes along the way, the Ravens managed just 25 yards and one first down on their next three possessions.

But when you have perhaps the NFL’s best defense, you can get away with those kind of missed opportunities against a bad team.

Michael Pierce was a tour de force, stopping several fourth-down tries, forcing a fumble and generally wreaking havoc in the middle of the line. Meanwhile, Geno Stone and Brandon Stephens continued their strong play, each hauling in an interception. And when the Ravens did stop the Cardinals, their offense did just enough to find the end zone. One of the more intriguing lines of the day was wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. finishing with zero catches but drawing three flags on the Cardinals, including two for pass interference that set up easy touchdowns.

Mike Preston: The Ravens continue to flirt with potential losses because they can’t play consistently on offense. The best way to attack this team is to give quarterback Lamar Jackson different looks and he struggles at times to make reads. The Cardinals were good in taking away Jackson’s bread and butter on blitzes by locking down rookie wide receiver Zay Flowers on quick screens. The defense played well enough to win, but that group was far from dominant as well. It was surprising how well the Cardinals ran the ball, even though nose guard Michael Pierce played a great game. The No. 1 question remains the same for the Ravens: Will they develop that killer instinct going into the postseason or is the same inconsistent team that we’ve seen the last three years?

Childs Walker: The Ravens made life more difficult than it needed to be against a 1-6 opponent, handing the Cardinals an opening touchdown with a pair of penalties and flirting with turnovers on offense. They would have been in worse shape if not for a monster performance from nose tackle Michael Pierce, who stopped Arizona on a pair of fourth downs.

They could not build on their offensive breakout against Detroit. Lamar Jackson held the ball too long at times, and their offensive line did not win consistently against a defense that relied mostly on three- and four-man rushes. On the plus side, they continued to be efficient in the red zone, taking advantage of an acrobatic interception by Brandon Stephens to go up 14-7 at halftime. They did it again after Geno Stone picked off Joshua Dobbs in the third quarter, with Gus Edwards powering into the end zone. They also came up with some nifty run designs to put the game on ice in the fourth quarter.

On a day when other powerhouses suffered upsets, the Ravens will feel fine flying home with an unsightly win.

C.J. Doon: The Michael Pierce game? The veteran defensive tackle was a bright spot in an otherwise uninspiring Ravens performance. He not only stuffed the run, but also recorded a strip-sack that nearly turned into a defensive touchdown. The Ravens were fortunate to get two bad interceptions from Joshua Dobbs, which led directly to a pair of scores that put the game out of reach, but we can no longer call safety Geno Stone’s nose for the ball a statistical oddity. He has a league-leading five interceptions after starting the season on the bench and might be a better option than $70 million starter Marcus Williams.

Looking big picture, the Ravens are now in the mix for the top seed and a first-round bye in the AFC thanks to the Chiefs’ loss to the Broncos. Given the inconsistency we’ve seen on offense, that’s pretty remarkable and a credit to the defense for allowing Lamar Jackson and Todd Monken to get comfortable as we near the halfway point of the season.

Tim Schwartz: We already knew the Ravens defense was elite — something they proved last week and further solidified against a bad Cardinals team — but they still lack the overall consistency from week to week. The Ravens’ offense was bad today. There’s no way around it. They capitalized when they needed to (thanks to Geno Stone’s league-leading fifth interception giving them a short field) but their inconsistencies are going to cost them against better teams. It’s what we saw against the Colts and Steelers in their only losses. Better teams, such as the Seahawks and Browns — the Ravens’ next two opponents — are going to make them pay if they have 183 total yards through three quarters. Fortunately for Baltimore, its defense has no weaknesses and is going to lead the team to victory more often than not.

()

LaVine was at his peak Saturday night in Detroit. He cut to the rim with defiance and slung shots from behind the arc with zero hesitation. This version of LaVine is undeniable and irresistible — “unstoppable” as DeMar DeRozan described it. But none of that mattered.

Despite LaVine’s 51 points, the Bulls still lost by double digits, driving home the same truth that has defined the team for the prior two seasons — the stars can’t do it all for this team.

The current Bulls roster is built around three stars: LaVine, DeRozan and Nikola Vučević. For two years, the Bulls have posted meager offensive results as they attempted to play through this trio — even while all three former All-Stars registered several of the most efficient years of their careers.

In Year 3, coach Billy Donovan wants to try something different. The Bulls entered this season with the mentality of spreading the ball. The concept makes sense on paper — if the Bulls can’t compete offensively even when LaVine, Vučević and DeRozan are scoring consistently, then they need to find a boost in points by feeding the rest of the roster.

But after the third game of the season, LaVine wasn’t sold on the new system’s effectiveness on the court.

“We’re trying this new thing out to have a complete, cohesive offense with equal opportunity,” LaVine said. “It’s gonna take some figuring it out. We got a lot of stuff in transition through the first couple of games and me and DeMar were in the corner a lot. We’re trying to figure out how to get involved.”

“Hero ball” has never been the solution in Chicago — that’s why the Bulls brought in Vučević and DeRozan two years ago, then spent this preseason harping on 3-pointers and ball rotation. But LaVine is also objectively correct. The offense isn’t working. The Bulls have been stagnant on the attack through the first three games, barely cracking a 100 offensive rating (101.8, 24th in the league).

The Bulls need to settle somewhere in the middle. They can’t get by on LaVine’s effort alone. They also clearly can’t compete when he’s not scoring, as evidenced by the first two games of the season.

“It’s something that we have to figure out,” LaVine said. “We each have obviously been the main option on a team before and then was the main scoring option on this team. It’s just something new that we have to figure out, figure out how to go about it. The first through games, we haven’t gotten 100% of it yet. We’re trying to figure out something that isn’t working. We’re gonna stick with it though.”

LaVine suffered his own stop-and-start entry to the season, which could be a byproduct of injury. Concern emerged Friday night when LaVine exited the locker room with a heating pad strapped to his back after the first half. LaVine acknowledged some back stiffness after the game, when he again wore a heating pad and joked that he took “a ton” of Tylenol, but brushed off questions about the injury as a long-term issue.

LaVine had been listed as probable for Saturday’s game in Detroit with mid-lateral back spasms, but played through discomfort for his career night. .

This is familiar territory for LaVine. Last year he was plagued by lingering recovery from an offseason knee injury, which ultimately dragged out three months into the season. LaVine sat out the first two games of the season, then missed two of the ensuing games. His shooting remained streaky through November, including a disastrous 1-for-14 night against the Orlando Magic.

LaVine finally snapped into form in January. He scored 77 points over the course of back-to-back games against the Philadelphia 76ers on Jan. 6 and Utah Jazz on Jan. 7. After scoring six 3-pointers against the Jazz, LaVine expressed relief at his return to full health: “It’s good to feel like me again.”

Despite needing three months to ease into the season, LaVine finished on one of the best runs of his career. He hit his stride after the All-Star break, averaging 27 points and 4.7 assists while shooting 53.2% from the field and 39.4% from 3-point range.

This year was supposed to be different. LaVine had a normal offseason, training on his own and with Bulls teammates in California for the majority of the summer. He played in charity golf tournaments and crushed a couple of at-bats during the MLB All-Star celebrity softball game.

In the weeks leading up to the home opener, LaVine’s enthusiasm was visible — he was ready to start a season feeling comfortable in his own body. But he’s also unwilling to miss games again, even if that means playing through pain for 77 minutes in a span of 24 hours.

“I’ve played through worse,” LaVine said. “It’s not bad enough that I shouldn’t play.”

LaVine knows this is his last chance to prove this system can work before the front office breaks up the central trio. That brings additional pressure for a team attempting to adapt its core offensive scheme — and the Bulls don’t have the luxury of a slow start.

If this group hopes to stay together, LaVine knows the offense has to start clicking in the opening weeks of the season.

“We’ve been here for long enough,” LaVine said. “Vooch has been traded, I’ve been traded, DeMar has been traded. We understand it’s a business. Obviously, we’re all frustrated on why it’s not clicking the way it should be but that’s just the position we’re in. It’s our third year here together. We all know how this business is. We all love each other. We’ve got to figure out how to make this thing work.”

()

LaVine was at his peak Saturday night in Detroit. He cut to the rim with defiance and slung shots from behind the arc with zero hesitation. This version of LaVine is undeniable and irresistible — “unstoppable” as DeMar DeRozan described it. But none of that mattered.

Despite LaVine’s 51 points, the Bulls still lost by double digits, driving home the same truth that has defined the team for the prior two seasons — the stars can’t do it all for this team.

The current Bulls roster is built around three stars: LaVine, DeRozan and Nikola Vučević. For two years, the Bulls have posted meager offensive results as they attempted to play through this trio — even while all three former All-Stars registered several of the most efficient years of their careers.

In Year 3, coach Billy Donovan wants to try something different. The Bulls entered this season with the mentality of spreading the ball. The concept makes sense on paper — if the Bulls can’t compete offensively even when LaVine, Vučević and DeRozan are scoring consistently, then they need to find a boost in points by feeding the rest of the roster.

But after the third game of the season, LaVine wasn’t sold on the new system’s effectiveness on the court.

“We’re trying this new thing out to have a complete, cohesive offense with equal opportunity,” LaVine said. “It’s gonna take some figuring it out. We got a lot of stuff in transition through the first couple of games and me and DeMar were in the corner a lot. We’re trying to figure out how to get involved.”

“Hero ball” has never been the solution in Chicago — that’s why the Bulls brought in Vučević and DeRozan two years ago, then spent this preseason harping on 3-pointers and ball rotation. But LaVine is also objectively correct. The offense isn’t working. The Bulls have been stagnant on the attack through the first three games, barely cracking a 100 offensive rating (101.8, 24th in the league).

The Bulls need to settle somewhere in the middle. They can’t get by on LaVine’s effort alone. They also clearly can’t compete when he’s not scoring, as evidenced by the first two games of the season.

“It’s something that we have to figure out,” LaVine said. “We each have obviously been the main option on a team before and then was the main scoring option on this team. It’s just something new that we have to figure out, figure out how to go about it. The first through games, we haven’t gotten 100% of it yet. We’re trying to figure out something that isn’t working. We’re gonna stick with it though.”

LaVine suffered his own stop-and-start entry to the season, which could be a byproduct of injury. Concern emerged Friday night when LaVine exited the locker room with a heating pad strapped to his back after the first half. LaVine acknowledged some back stiffness after the game, when he again wore a heating pad and joked that he took “a ton” of Tylenol, but brushed off questions about the injury as a long-term issue.

LaVine had been listed as probable for Saturday’s game in Detroit with mid-lateral back spasms, but played through discomfort for his career night. .

This is familiar territory for LaVine. Last year he was plagued by lingering recovery from an offseason knee injury, which ultimately dragged out three months into the season. LaVine sat out the first two games of the season, then missed two of the ensuing games. His shooting remained streaky through November, including a disastrous 1-for-14 night against the Orlando Magic.

LaVine finally snapped into form in January. He scored 77 points over the course of back-to-back games against the Philadelphia 76ers on Jan. 6 and Utah Jazz on Jan. 7. After scoring six 3-pointers against the Jazz, LaVine expressed relief at his return to full health: “It’s good to feel like me again.”

Despite needing three months to ease into the season, LaVine finished on one of the best runs of his career. He hit his stride after the All-Star break, averaging 27 points and 4.7 assists while shooting 53.2% from the field and 39.4% from 3-point range.

This year was supposed to be different. LaVine had a normal offseason, training on his own and with Bulls teammates in California for the majority of the summer. He played in charity golf tournaments and crushed a couple of at-bats during the MLB All-Star celebrity softball game.

In the weeks leading up to the home opener, LaVine’s enthusiasm was visible — he was ready to start a season feeling comfortable in his own body. But he’s also unwilling to miss games again, even if that means playing through pain for 77 minutes in a span of 24 hours.

“I’ve played through worse,” LaVine said. “It’s not bad enough that I shouldn’t play.”

LaVine knows this is his last chance to prove this system can work before the front office breaks up the central trio. That brings additional pressure for a team attempting to adapt its core offensive scheme — and the Bulls don’t have the luxury of a slow start.

If this group hopes to stay together, LaVine knows the offense has to start clicking in the opening weeks of the season.

“We’ve been here for long enough,” LaVine said. “Vooch has been traded, I’ve been traded, DeMar has been traded. We understand it’s a business. Obviously, we’re all frustrated on why it’s not clicking the way it should be but that’s just the position we’re in. It’s our third year here together. We all know how this business is. We all love each other. We’ve got to figure out how to make this thing work.”

()

LaVine scored 51 points in a thunderous offensive performance. His output matched the rest of his teammates combined in another dismal night of shooting by the Bulls that resulted in a 118-102 loss to the Detroit Pistons.

The Bulls are 1-2 as they continue a three-game trip with stops in Indianapolis and Dallas.

Here are four takeaways from the loss.

1. Zach LaVine broke out with a career night.

After a sluggish opening two games of the season, LaVine erased any doubts of his scoring ability with his career-high performance.

LaVine could have missed the game after suffering back spasms Friday night against the Toronto Raptors. He was listed as probable before the game, and coach Billy Donovan said his availability would be a game-time decision. But LaVine pushed to play, logging 37 minutes.

He made a big statement in the first quarter, playing all 12 minutes and scoring 19 points. He was commanding, directing Coby White to give him the ball and clear out for his first 3-pointer from the top of the arc, then storming to the rim for layups.

After going scoreless in the second quarter, LaVine posted 20 more points in the third, then struggled to get by Ausar Thompson when the rookie was switched onto him, scoring 12 points in the fourth.

LaVine finished 19-for-32 from the field and 7-for-13 from 3-point range.

“He’s unstoppable,” DeRozan said. “We’ve got to do everything else to help when any of our guys get hot and get rolling like that. We’ve got to do all the other stuff to make sure we pull out the win so a night like that doesn’t go in vain.”

2. The rest of the Bulls didn’t show up.

Sure, LaVine was on fire. But the rest of the Bulls offense … well, that was another story.

The other members of the central trio pulled their weight: DeMar DeRozan contributed 20 points and four assists, and Nikola Vucevic added 12 points — though he had only four rebounds.

But the remainder of the Bulls was nonexistent. Fellow starters Coby White and Patrick Williams went scoreless. The bench combined for 19 points, which included a garbage-time 3-pointer from Dalen Terry.

Outside of LaVine’s shooting, the Bulls finished 20-for-61 (32.8%) from the field and 4-for-15 (26.7%) from 3-point range and registered only 16 assists.

3. The young Pistons exploited the Bulls at the rim.

The Pistons are a young team still putting the pieces together — but the one area they don’t lack is gifted physicality driving to the rim. The Bulls put up minimal resistance at the point of attack, allowing the Pistons to carve up the lane and dominate the glass.

Five Pistons scored in double digits. The Pistons scored 36 points in the paint and 20 second-chance points off 15 offensive rebounds, creating their winning margin through physical dominance around the rim.

4. Alex Caruso and Torrey Craig continued to make a starting — and closing — case over Patrick Williams.

It has become an all-too-common refrain that Williams fades in games, but he was nearly nonexistent from the start Saturday. Williams registered only three rebounds while going scoreless. Most important, he did not impose himself defensively against players well-positioned to challenge him at the rim.

Williams is playing himself out of important minutes — he was yanked during the fourth quarter Friday — and Donovan has made it clear he will insert another player into the starting lineup if Williams doesn’t find his footing.

Caruso and Craig are rising as more apt fits. Caruso is the go-to selection for the closing rotation, although Craig also filtered into that role Friday. Neither had a breakout offensive game Saturday — Caruso scored only two points on two shots and Craig went 0-for-2 from 3-point range.

But both maintained their consistent contributions on the defensive end. Caruso had four steals and a block. Craig had a block and three rebounds, ultimately playing a minute more than Williams. If all three players’ form continues, it wouldn’t be surprising to see either replace Williams in his starting and finishing roles.

()

LaVine scored 51 points in a thunderous offensive performance. His output matched the rest of his teammates combined in another dismal night of shooting by the Bulls that resulted in a 118-102 loss to the Detroit Pistons.

The Bulls are 1-2 as they continue a three-game trip with stops in Indianapolis and Dallas.

Here are four takeaways from the loss.

1. Zach LaVine broke out with a career night.

After a sluggish opening two games of the season, LaVine erased any doubts of his scoring ability with his career-high performance.

LaVine could have missed the game after suffering back spasms Friday night against the Toronto Raptors. He was listed as probable before the game, and coach Billy Donovan said his availability would be a game-time decision. But LaVine pushed to play, logging 37 minutes.

He made a big statement in the first quarter, playing all 12 minutes and scoring 19 points. He was commanding, directing Coby White to give him the ball and clear out for his first 3-pointer from the top of the arc, then storming to the rim for layups.

After going scoreless in the second quarter, LaVine posted 20 more points in the third, then struggled to get by Ausar Thompson when the rookie was switched onto him, scoring 12 points in the fourth.

LaVine finished 19-for-32 from the field and 7-for-13 from 3-point range.

“He’s unstoppable,” DeRozan said. “We’ve got to do everything else to help when any of our guys get hot and get rolling like that. We’ve got to do all the other stuff to make sure we pull out the win so a night like that doesn’t go in vain.”

2. The rest of the Bulls didn’t show up.

Sure, LaVine was on fire. But the rest of the Bulls offense … well, that was another story.

The other members of the central trio pulled their weight: DeMar DeRozan contributed 20 points and four assists, and Nikola Vucevic added 12 points — though he had only four rebounds.

But the remainder of the Bulls was nonexistent. Fellow starters Coby White and Patrick Williams went scoreless. The bench combined for 19 points, which included a garbage-time 3-pointer from Dalen Terry.

Outside of LaVine’s shooting, the Bulls finished 20-for-61 (32.8%) from the field and 4-for-15 (26.7%) from 3-point range and registered only 16 assists.

3. The young Pistons exploited the Bulls at the rim.

The Pistons are a young team still putting the pieces together — but the one area they don’t lack is gifted physicality driving to the rim. The Bulls put up minimal resistance at the point of attack, allowing the Pistons to carve up the lane and dominate the glass.

Five Pistons scored in double digits. The Pistons scored 36 points in the paint and 20 second-chance points off 15 offensive rebounds, creating their winning margin through physical dominance around the rim.

4. Alex Caruso and Torrey Craig continued to make a starting — and closing — case over Patrick Williams.

It has become an all-too-common refrain that Williams fades in games, but he was nearly nonexistent from the start Saturday. Williams registered only three rebounds while going scoreless. Most important, he did not impose himself defensively against players well-positioned to challenge him at the rim.

Williams is playing himself out of important minutes — he was yanked during the fourth quarter Friday — and Donovan has made it clear he will insert another player into the starting lineup if Williams doesn’t find his footing.

Caruso and Craig are rising as more apt fits. Caruso is the go-to selection for the closing rotation, although Craig also filtered into that role Friday. Neither had a breakout offensive game Saturday — Caruso scored only two points on two shots and Craig went 0-for-2 from 3-point range.

But both maintained their consistent contributions on the defensive end. Caruso had four steals and a block. Craig had a block and three rebounds, ultimately playing a minute more than Williams. If all three players’ form continues, it wouldn’t be surprising to see either replace Williams in his starting and finishing roles.

()

But those plans changed.

The Celtics found themselves down 13 to the Heat with five minutes left in the first quarter. They looked flat and slow. Mazzulla assigned Brissett to change that, and he accepted. Two minutes later, his impact was felt. As the C’s were storming back, Jaylen Brown missed the free throw on a three-point play, but Brissett got the offensive board. Moments later, on the same possession, Al Horford missed a 3-pointer, but Brissett flew in again for an offensive rebound, and the ball ultimately found Sam Hauser for a 3-pointer.

Just like that, the Celtics had finished a five-point trip to cut their deficit to only three. Brissett’s effort was a game-changer.

“He was the sole reason that we got back into the game, and I told him that,” Jayson Tatum said. “He came right in, and we were kind of flat, his energy, his offensive rebounding, giving us second and third chance opportunities was big. And that’s his job. For him to come do that, to not play last game and come in and give us the spark to turn the game around was huge. And that’s what I love about our team.”

It was a strong first impression from Brissett, who endeared himself to his new home crowd with his hustle. His box score doesn’t stand out – two points, five rebounds (three offensive) in 14 minutes – but his stint mattered.

“That’s me. That’s who I am as a player,” Brissett said. “Every night I’m going to try to do that no matter who we’re playing, no matter what night it is. But we’ve got real stars on this team. So me coming in, just being myself, not trying to do too much, not trying to prove that I can do anything else even though they all know I can. But it’s OK. So I should just be myself, go out there and just try to do all the little things to win us games.”

Brissett’s spark seemed to be contagious. Mazzulla has been preaching a need this season for the Celtics to crash the offensive glass and create extra possessions. They only got seven in the first game. But on Friday, they brought the energy consistently. With Brissett setting the tone early, the C’s finished with 16 offensive rebounds that led to 23 second-chance points, the latter a number they topped just twice last season.

“I still think that’s the area we can get better,” Mazzulla said. “We still gave up some timely ones, right? But, we got timely ones. and so we’re never gonna play perfect, but I thought Oshae’s timely offensive rebounds in the first half were tremendous. I thought, Jaylen, Jrue (Holiday) came back and got one. Jayson got one, like we got some timely physical rebounds. So it’s important that we fight to do that, as many possessions as we can.”

While the Celtics boast a clear top six that is probably the best in the league, there are going to be plenty of nights when they need some bench players to step up and fill a role. The first example came Friday with Brissett. His playing time – as well as the rest of Boston’s depth pieces – may fluctuate throughout the season, but they’re embracing their position.

Having those players like Brissett who understand and thrive in their role as complementary pieces to the stars is vital for a team with championship aspirations. That’s especially so for a Celtics team that underwent some turnover on their bench this offseason and is still in the process of carving out their rotation and identifying the depth players they can trust for the long run.

“We know that we’re going to be important throughout a lot of these games of the season,” Brissett said. “And then when it comes to playoff time, we’re going to be relied on, even if it’s for a little bit. Just go in there and just do what we do and do what we’ve learned all of training camp. …

“I feel like for anybody it’s tough. Like we all want to hoop, we all think we should be out there. But this is a winning team. You gotta put all that stuff aside, man, and really think about the big picture. So if I’m on the bench, I’m gonna cheer the guys on. If I’m on the court, I’m gonna do what I do. …

“But every night, I go in there expecting to play, wanting to play and approaching it like I’m going to play because you can get thrown in anytime. You don’t want to mess up. It’s quick, you might be out. So, just having that mindset in the right positive way, I feel that would help anybody in my position.”

The night was defined by Caruso’s dogged pursuit of the ball. He racked up two steals and a block, drew five offensive fouls and snagged 13 rebounds — including six offensive boards. But in the final seconds of a convoluted and crazed game, it was Caruso’s poise with the ball in his hands that sealed the win.

Zach LaVine grabbed a rebound with four seconds remaining in OT and a two-point deficit on the scoreboard. He tore off to the basket, bulldozing to the rim in signature form — but instead of taking the shot, he flipped the ball to Caruso in the corner.

Caruso had made only one 3-pointer all night, but his ensuing shot with 2.3 seconds left was automatic.

The bench stormed Caruso after the buzzer, ripping his signature sweatband off his head and dousing him with water.

“It was a good sense of relief,” Caruso said. “We have a good team chemistry. Today we showed good spurts of how we want to play, being together, playing for each other, playing hard. That’s how I embody myself as a basketball player. They know I play for the team, so whenever I make big plays in the game, they show me love.”

The Bulls are 1-1 as they headed to Detroit to face the Pistons on Saturday.

Here are six takeaways from the win.

1. Nine seconds of madness.

The final nine seconds of regulation were a flurry of confusion.

The Bulls trailed 91-90. Caruso tipped a turnover. DeRozan scooped it up, powered in a layup, earned the extra free throw — then missed the attempt. That miss was tipped up and into the basket. The scoreboard momentarily showed the Bulls leading 92-91, only for a review to call the basket back for goaltending.

A foul. Pascal Siakam hit two free throws to stretch the Raptors’ lead to 93-90. But DeRozan came down with the same intent, this time baiting Chris Boucher into a foul on a 3-point attempt. First two free throws were effortless. The third attempt clanked off the rim.

Three seconds left. Surely it was over this time. Instead, Caruso threw his body in front of Siakam with the fearlessness of a zealot, earning a charge and one final chance. DeRozan took the inbound pass, pump faked and sent Scottie Barnes several feet into the air until he crashed down into another foul.

Two free throws for the win. A career 84% free-throw shooter at the line. Surely that was it — and, no. One make. One miss. Time expired and a trip to overtime after nine seconds stretched into minutes of insanity for both teams.

2. DeMar DeRozan delivers on his promise.

DeRozan issued a promise after the Bulls suffered a 20-point blowout on opening night: “We won’t let that happen again.”

He followed through on that promise Friday.

With 4:58 remaining in regulation, the Bulls trailed 88-71. But DeRozan willed the Bulls into overtime almost entirely on his own, scoring all 18 of his fourth-quarter points in that span. Caruso scored the only other four points for the Bulls in the final five minutes with a 3-pointer and a free throw.

DeRozan’s energy already had been a galvanizing force for the Bulls — midway through third quarter, he stormed to the bench, ripping a towel in half and threw it to the ground as he shouted at his teammates.

But it was also an imperfect finish for DeRozan, who missed three crucial free-throw attempts in the final 12 seconds — two that would have tied the game and one that would have put the Bulls ahead by a point with time expired.

DeRozan expressed frustration over those misses — and gratitude for Caruso’s clutch performance.

“Alex bailed me out,” DeRozan said. “It’s amazing. The effort that he puts, the sacrifice that he goes out and plays with, throwing his body around, his IQ defensively, his instincts, it’s amazing to watch. It’s like letting a cheetah out of a cage and run wild. He makes it look pretty.”

3. Bulls erase first quarter deficit with 20-point run — then let it slip.

Before the hilarity of the ending, the opening minutes of the game were brutal for the Bulls. Coby White missed the rim entirely on a whiffed 3-pointer on the first shot. The Bulls came up empty-handed on the next five possessions: consecutive turnovers, two missed 3-pointer attempts, then a blocked attempt from behind the arc by Patrick Williams. By the 6:45 mark, scattered boos began to rain down as the Raptors took a 14-2 lead.

The Bulls went on a swing of their own, going on a 12-point run to tie the game 16-16 with 3:26 left in the first quarter after DeRozan and Torrey Craig each hit a 3-pointer. The Bulls scored 20 unanswered points to close the quarter until O.G. Anunoby threw down a buzzer-beating dunk to break the streak.

But the Raptors countered in the third quarter with a 20-0 streak, reclaiming a 17-point lead in the final frame. The game ultimately resulted in seven lead changes and five ties with a swing of 36 points between each team’s biggest point advantage.

4. Zach LaVine suffers another poor shooting night.

LaVine continued to struggle against the Raptors, finishing 3-for-14 from the field and missing all six of his attempts from 3-point range.

At the half, LaVine utilized a wrap and heating pad to address back stiffness, which he said is “not a concern” after the game. He will assess his availability for the back-to-back against the Pistons on Saturday morning.

LaVine did make one of the biggest plays of the game to assist Caruso’s winning shot, utilizing quick judgment to feed his teammate on the perimeter after driving for a perilous look at the rim. But he is 7-for-30 from the field and 2-for-15 from 3-point range on the season — a pattern that can’t continue if the Bulls want to compete consistently.

5. 3-point volume still up — but accuracy still down.

The Bulls again took a much higher volume of 3-pointers than last season — and missed most of them.

They finished 8-for-39 (20.5%) from 3-point range. That quantity does match the improvement that coach Billy Donovan hoped to see, eclipsing last season’s average by 10 attempts (although that number is slightly skewed because of the additional five minutes of overtime).

The Bulls were aided by a similarly poor-shooting night by the Raptors, who finished 9-for-36 from 3-point range.

6. Patrick Williams yanked from the rotation

Although he started the game, Williams did not factor as a closer Friday. In fact, he was yanked from the rotation with 8:29 left in the third quarter and did not leave the bench again.

Williams finished with three points, three rebounds, two steals and an assist. But his impression on the game was shallow compared with Craig, who was a buoyant defensive force off the bench alongside Caruso.

Donovan deflected some blame from Williams after the game, saying the decision “wasn’t all on Patrick” and reflected Craig’s success. But it raises questions for the fourth-year forward, who continues to struggle to assert himself.

()

The night was defined by Caruso’s dogged pursuit of the ball. He racked up two steals and a block, drew five offensive fouls and snagged 13 rebounds — including six offensive boards. But in the final seconds of a convoluted and crazed game, it was Caruso’s poise with the ball in his hands that sealed the win.

Zach LaVine grabbed a rebound with four seconds remaining in OT and a two-point deficit on the scoreboard. He tore off to the basket, bulldozing to the rim in signature form — but instead of taking the shot, he flipped the ball to Caruso in the corner.

Caruso had made only one 3-pointer all night, but his ensuing shot with 2.3 seconds left was automatic.

The bench stormed Caruso after the buzzer, ripping his signature sweatband off his head and dousing him with water.

“It was a good sense of relief,” Caruso said. “We have a good team chemistry. Today we showed good spurts of how we want to play, being together, playing for each other, playing hard. That’s how I embody myself as a basketball player. They know I play for the team, so whenever I make big plays in the game, they show me love.”

The Bulls are 1-1 as they headed to Detroit to face the Pistons on Saturday.

Here are six takeaways from the win.

1. Nine seconds of madness.

The final nine seconds of regulation were a flurry of confusion.

The Bulls trailed 91-90. Caruso tipped a turnover. DeRozan scooped it up, powered in a layup, earned the extra free throw — then missed the attempt. That miss was tipped up and into the basket. The scoreboard momentarily showed the Bulls leading 92-91, only for a review to call the basket back for goaltending.

A foul. Pascal Siakam hit two free throws to stretch the Raptors’ lead to 93-90. But DeRozan came down with the same intent, this time baiting Chris Boucher into a foul on a 3-point attempt. First two free throws were effortless. The third attempt clanked off the rim.

Three seconds left. Surely it was over this time. Instead, Caruso threw his body in front of Siakam with the fearlessness of a zealot, earning a charge and one final chance. DeRozan took the inbound pass, pump faked and sent Scottie Barnes several feet into the air until he crashed down into another foul.

Two free throws for the win. A career 84% free-throw shooter at the line. Surely that was it — and, no. One make. One miss. Time expired and a trip to overtime after nine seconds stretched into minutes of insanity for both teams.

2. DeMar DeRozan delivers on his promise.

DeRozan issued a promise after the Bulls suffered a 20-point blowout on opening night: “We won’t let that happen again.”

He followed through on that promise Friday.

With 4:58 remaining in regulation, the Bulls trailed 88-71. But DeRozan willed the Bulls into overtime almost entirely on his own, scoring all 18 of his fourth-quarter points in that span. Caruso scored the only other four points for the Bulls in the final five minutes with a 3-pointer and a free throw.

DeRozan’s energy already had been a galvanizing force for the Bulls — midway through third quarter, he stormed to the bench, ripping a towel in half and threw it to the ground as he shouted at his teammates.

But it was also an imperfect finish for DeRozan, who missed three crucial free-throw attempts in the final 12 seconds — two that would have tied the game and one that would have put the Bulls ahead by a point with time expired.

DeRozan expressed frustration over those misses — and gratitude for Caruso’s clutch performance.

“Alex bailed me out,” DeRozan said. “It’s amazing. The effort that he puts, the sacrifice that he goes out and plays with, throwing his body around, his IQ defensively, his instincts, it’s amazing to watch. It’s like letting a cheetah out of a cage and run wild. He makes it look pretty.”

3. Bulls erase first quarter deficit with 20-point run — then let it slip.

Before the hilarity of the ending, the opening minutes of the game were brutal for the Bulls. Coby White missed the rim entirely on a whiffed 3-pointer on the first shot. The Bulls came up empty-handed on the next five possessions: consecutive turnovers, two missed 3-pointer attempts, then a blocked attempt from behind the arc by Patrick Williams. By the 6:45 mark, scattered boos began to rain down as the Raptors took a 14-2 lead.

The Bulls went on a swing of their own, going on a 12-point run to tie the game 16-16 with 3:26 left in the first quarter after DeRozan and Torrey Craig each hit a 3-pointer. The Bulls scored 20 unanswered points to close the quarter until O.G. Anunoby threw down a buzzer-beating dunk to break the streak.

But the Raptors countered in the third quarter with a 20-0 streak, reclaiming a 17-point lead in the final frame. The game ultimately resulted in seven lead changes and five ties with a swing of 36 points between each team’s biggest point advantage.

4. Zach LaVine suffers another poor shooting night.

LaVine continued to struggle against the Raptors, finishing 3-for-14 from the field and missing all six of his attempts from 3-point range.

At the half, LaVine utilized a wrap and heating pad to address back stiffness, which he said is “not a concern” after the game. He will assess his availability for the back-to-back against the Pistons on Saturday morning.

LaVine did make one of the biggest plays of the game to assist Caruso’s winning shot, utilizing quick judgment to feed his teammate on the perimeter after driving for a perilous look at the rim. But he is 7-for-30 from the field and 2-for-15 from 3-point range on the season — a pattern that can’t continue if the Bulls want to compete consistently.

5. 3-point volume still up — but accuracy still down.

The Bulls again took a much higher volume of 3-pointers than last season — and missed most of them.

They finished 8-for-39 (20.5%) from 3-point range. That quantity does match the improvement that coach Billy Donovan hoped to see, eclipsing last season’s average by 10 attempts (although that number is slightly skewed because of the additional five minutes of overtime).

The Bulls were aided by a similarly poor-shooting night by the Raptors, who finished 9-for-36 from 3-point range.

6. Patrick Williams yanked from the rotation

Although he started the game, Williams did not factor as a closer Friday. In fact, he was yanked from the rotation with 8:29 left in the third quarter and did not leave the bench again.

Williams finished with three points, three rebounds, two steals and an assist. But his impression on the game was shallow compared with Craig, who was a buoyant defensive force off the bench alongside Caruso.

Donovan deflected some blame from Williams after the game, saying the decision “wasn’t all on Patrick” and reflected Craig’s success. But it raises questions for the fourth-year forward, who continues to struggle to assert himself.

()

The announcement was made in part by several students he’s working to help at his former elementary school, Beasley Academic Center. Dosunmu partnered with the school to offer Bulls tickets to every student who makes the honor roll this year. The incentive program is one of several initiatives that earned Dosunmu the Lanier honor, which three Beasley students presented to him Thursday at the Advocate Center.

A Morgan Park product, Dosunmu has been dedicated to community involvement since he gained notoriety as a star guard at Illinois. He spends his summers at home in Chicago and partners with local advocacy groups focused on youth engagement and gun violence prevention.

The NBA recognizes eight players each year through the Community Assist program with seven monthly awards and one offseason award.

Dosunmu was recognized for his work over the summer through the Ayo Dos Foundation, which aims to create safe third spaces for children in Chicago.

He partnered with Black Kids Predict and Beyond the Ball to host basketball clinics for 180 local children this summer, donating $5,000 grant donations to both Beyond the Ball and Urban Male Network. He also hosted a second-annual block party to honor his childhood friend Darius Brown, who was shot and killed in 2011. In September, Dosunmu partnered with Nordstrom and Shoes That Fit to donate more than 350 pairs of Nike sneakers to students at Philip Randolph Elementary School.

“That’s what really makes you a good person,” Dosunmu told the Tribune. “Basketball players make a lot of money, but the important thing is how can you use your money, how can you use your image to inspire others? I’m blessed to see both sides of the fence. I want to be using that. I don’t just do it for the cameras. I don’t do it for the popularity contest. I really do it to change the lives of some kids that really never had anything.”

()

The announcement was made in part by several students he’s working to help at his former elementary school, Beasley Academic Center. Dosunmu partnered with the school to offer Bulls tickets to every student who makes the honor roll this year. The incentive program is one of several initiatives that earned Dosunmu the Lanier honor, which three Beasley students presented to him Thursday at the Advocate Center.

A Morgan Park product, Dosunmu has been dedicated to community involvement since he gained notoriety as a star guard at Illinois. He spends his summers at home in Chicago and partners with local advocacy groups focused on youth engagement and gun violence prevention.

The NBA recognizes eight players each year through the Community Assist program with seven monthly awards and one offseason award.

Dosunmu was recognized for his work over the summer through the Ayo Dos Foundation, which aims to create safe third spaces for children in Chicago.

He partnered with Black Kids Predict and Beyond the Ball to host basketball clinics for 180 local children this summer, donating $5,000 grant donations to both Beyond the Ball and Urban Male Network. He also hosted a second-annual block party to honor his childhood friend Darius Brown, who was shot and killed in 2011. In September, Dosunmu partnered with Nordstrom and Shoes That Fit to donate more than 350 pairs of Nike sneakers to students at Philip Randolph Elementary School.

“That’s what really makes you a good person,” Dosunmu told the Tribune. “Basketball players make a lot of money, but the important thing is how can you use your money, how can you use your image to inspire others? I’m blessed to see both sides of the fence. I want to be using that. I don’t just do it for the cameras. I don’t do it for the popularity contest. I really do it to change the lives of some kids that really never had anything.”

()

There was just one problem. His name was Derrick White.

While Butler thought he had an easy bucket, the Celtics guard failed to give up. He raced down the floor, caught the unsuspecting Butler and swallowed him, unleashing a ferocious chase-down block with his right hand. The Celtics regained possession. And White had a few words for his teammates on the bench on his way back.

“D-White just be coming out of nowhere, you know?” Jaylen Brown said.

That play with 3:44 to go was the signature one of a signature night for White, who willed the Celtics to a home-opening 119-111 win over the Heat, their Eastern Conference nemesis who ended their season five months ago. They overcame Tyler Herro’s 28 points and another Heat barrage from 3-point range, like the ones that sunk them in the playoffs last season. They did it, in some ways, by beating them at their own game.

White poured in 28 points – including 14 in the final period – and added three blocks, and Brown had 27 points, including some big shots down the stretch, to lead a victory that personified some of the traits – toughness, defense, effort – they were missing back in the spring, and everything they could become this season. On a roster rich with high-end talent, the Celtics can win in so many ways. It was behind Jayson Tatum and Kristaps Porzingis in their season-opening victory. On Friday, it was White and Brown.

“The balanced attack that we had the entire game is kind of the epitome of what our team can be when we play together,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. “When each guy plays the best version of them and then one guy doesn’t have it, the next guy steps up.

“I thought we were really intentional about who was playing well, what the matchup was, and what the spacing was. It’s kind of what we have to try to become.”

It’s easy to overlook White, who is certainly not the flashiest or most talented player on the Celtics. But his impact continues to be apparent. On a night when Porzingis struggled, and the C’s needed somebody to step up, White answered the call. The ball kept finding him on offense. He hunted it defensively. He was everywhere.

The Celtics trailed by one entering the fourth when White was unleashed. He scored the team’s first eight points of the fourth quarter as Boston took control, including a pull-up, heat-check 3-pointer. It was the type of solo run that would have been unthinkable when he was traded to the Celtics in February 2022, when he was passive. Now, he’s bold and confident. There was a time last season when White didn’t play during crunch time. Now the Celtics can’t afford to not have him on the floor in those moments.

“I think his confidence level continues to rise,” Tatum said. “As he’s gotten more comfortable with us and in his own skin, the talent has always been there, but he’s starting to show more emotion and obviously have more freedom and things like that.”

White was not only making his own plays, but setting up his teammates. Mazzulla praised the guard for putting everyone in the right matchup. It helped the Celtics hold off the hungry Heat, who thrive in late, close games, and every rally they tried to make. This time the Celtics punched back. Brown, after a lackluster opener on Wednesday, had another slow start Friday but recovered to score 12 of his 27 in the fourth, including the dagger 3 in the final minute.

Then there was White, who reached another level in the fourth. His block of Butler was the latest swat from the guard who led all players at his position in blocks last season. But it was among his most impressive.

“The plays he made tonight were sick,” Mazzulla said. “They were just sick plays. Like there’s not another word to describe them. That’s just what he does.”

It may have taken some time, but Friday epitomized the kind of play the Celtics expect from White now. His progress last season on both ends was part of the reason why they were so comfortable in trading both Marcus Smart and Malcolm Brogdon away this offseason. They have full faith in him now, and he’s already rewarding it.

“I’ve been an advocate for D-White since he joined the team two years ago,” Tatum said. “I always tell him to be aggressive. Don’t always look for me or whoever it may be. We need him to be aggressive, to score, to attack, to make plays and when he’s at his best and being aggressive I think we’re just a much better team.”

Some other takeaways from the win::

– Porzingis shined in his Celtics debut in New York on Wednesday but didn’t have the same success in his home opener. Porzingis was whistled for two fouls in the first 5:13 of the game as he struggled to slow down Heat center Bam Adebayo throughout the night, allowing him to get to the rim with ease as he finished with 27 points. Porzingis started the game 2-for-7 shooting including 0-4 from 3-point range, got into a brief groove in the third quarter but ultimately did not match his performance from the opener. On one play in the third, he was whistled for a technical foul when he threw the ball through the hoop after letting Adebayo beat him again. Porzingis fouled out with three minutes remaining.

– Oshae Brissett, the versatile forward who signed with the Celtics this offseason, was a DNP for Wednesday’s season opener but made his official Celtics debut with 5:02 remaining in the first quarter. He made an immediate impact, endearing himself quickly to the TD Garden crowd with hustle plays. He pulled down a pair of offensive rebounds on one possession, which led to a 3-pointer from Sam Hauser. That capped a 10-0 Celtics run after they had fallen behind by 13 in the opening period. Brissett later had a dunk that cut Boston’s deficit to three after the first.

– Offensive rebounding was a major emphasis from Mazzulla this preseason, and the Celtics certainly had their coach’s message in mind Friday. Brissett’s effort was part of a big one on the offensive glass, where the Celtics corralled 10 boards that led to 14 second-chance points in the first half. They finished with 16 offensive rebounds for 23 second-chance points. When their offense wasn’t running crisply for most of the first half, those hustle plays kept them in the game.

The Celtics have six starting-caliber players in Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Derrick White and Al Horford, and they’ve each recognized and embraced that sacrifice will be required among them to reach their ultimate championship goal. The details of the meeting were sparse. Horford was ultimately the first of the group to come off the bench, which was the first time in his Celtics career he did so. He didn’t volunteer to do it, but after the group had a conversation, he accepted the role.

“I’m not saying he lined up, (expletive), like raising his hand excited about it,” Mazzulla said. “But he’s Al, so we’re grateful for him.”

“Al’s a cultural warrior for us. So for a guy of his stature, what he’s done in this league, what he’s done for our team, to be willing to do that for our team is very important and I’m grateful for that and for him. At the same time, it’s not just about him. I think that’s the idea of this whole offseason. This preseason starting thing is like, yeah, Al’s making the initial sacrifice, but everyone’s gonna have to.”

It’s unclear who called for the meeting, but they were glad to hash things out and get on the same page.

“JT told me we was talking and then we went in there we just kind of sat down and talked,” White said. “I mean, I think it was cool and something we can do throughout the year. We all get along, we all want the same thing, so it’s good to get it all out.”

It seems likely that the 37-year-old Horford will be come off the bench for the majority of games this season, but there could be situations where White or Holiday do if Mazzulla wants to go with a double-big lineup.

White joked that he recommended one of their bigger stars come off the bench.

“I voted JT to come off the bench, but it’s all good,” White joked. “At the end of the day, we just want to win and we know what the end goal is. And we’re all well bought in.”

Tatum responded to White’s comment on X: “Told them 1 game this season I’m coming off the bench.”

It’s unclear if Tatum will actually come off the bench once this season – he never has in his career – but the Celtics’ top six certainly seem united in their sacrifice.

“We were just talking about how we all want the same thing,” White said. “Obviously, only five people can start and we all understand that we got a bunch of people that start, so we are just coming together to be like if someone’s got to come off the bench, we’re all willing to do it. Nobody’s gonna be upset or whatever. So whatever the matchup is that night, it is what it is, and we just want to win.”

Honoring Maine

The Celtics paid tribute to the Lewiston, Maine shooting victims in several ways for Friday’s home opener. In addition to holding a moment of silence pregame, the players wore Maine Celtics warmup shirts – the team’s G-League affiliate has been based in Maine since 2009 – and they also had a band honoring Lewison on their jerseys. The coaching staff also wore Maine Celtics gear on the sideline.

Mazzulla, who spent time coaching in Maine, took a few minutes to talk about the tragedy after Thursday’s practice.

“My initial reaction was like, one, there’s people that are hurt by this and they didn’t ask for it and imagine how hard it would be if my wife or children were in that situation,” Mazzulla said. “The second one is, it’s easy two weeks ago to look at a situation that’s really far from us and say we don’t do that. And then something like this happens, it’s humbling because whether it’s domestic or abroad, there are people who are making tough decisions. There are people who are doing things that aren’t what’s best for humanity.

“Regardless of if it’s in America or not, how do we work through that as humans? I think that’s the question that we have to work to answer.”

Cracking down

The NBA implemented a new flopping penalty for this season and the Celtics were involved in two of the first such calls this season in their win over the Knicks on Wednesday. The first came when Kristaps Porzingis was whistled for exaggerating contact in the fourth quarter, and the next one came when they called Jalen Brunson for flopping while he was shooting a 3-pointer later in the period.

However, the league announced Thursday that a flop should not have been called, and that Tatum made contact with Brunson’s foot which would have been a three-point foul. It was a four-point swing in what was ultimately a four-point Celtics win.

Despite the new flopping rule, however, Mazzulla said he has not talked to his team about it.

“It’s whatever, I don’t care,” Mazzulla said.

The Bulls took 42 3s in Wednesday’s 124-104 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. That’s higher than last season’s average attempts of all but two teams — the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors.

For a team that finished last in 3-point shooting volume for two consecutive seasons, that might feel like a welcome change. But the Bulls also couldn’t make those attempts, finishing 12-for-42 (29.3%) in the loss.

The stale shooting night forced the Bulls to consider whether they overcorrected.

“It’s an interesting question, because I’ve been dealing with for the last two years. ‘We don’t take enough 3s. We need to take 40 3s.’ Now it’s about makes,” coach Billy Donovan said with a laugh after the loss. “For us, we’ve got to play through the paint and generally those 3s will come through the paint. If they’re good shots and they’re open shots, we’ve got to take them. There’s going to be games we don’t shoot it well, but I think you still want to sustain that.”

Growing pains are understandable with a group of players attempting to redefine the way they fit together. The Bulls entered this season with the same personnel but also have goals to take more 3-pointers. Donovan never set a quota for shot attempts, but guards Coby White and Zach LaVine believe the Bulls will be more successful if they can average attempts in the mid-30s.

Making this change would require the Bulls to strike the right balance of shot selection. On Wednesday, the Bulls took 42% of their shots from behind the arc and 28% at the rim. Last season they averaged 30.4% of their shots from 3-point range and 34.4% at the rim. That’s a pretty steep swing.

The Bulls clearly need to get more shots up from behind the arc, but that can’t come at the sacrifice of paint touches or looks at the rim. Once a team starts settling for jacked-up 3-pointers, the offense becomes flat and easier to guard — especially on a cold night.

In the opener, LaVine felt that balance tipped in the wrong direction.

“Some of the looks we got, it wasn’t really in rhythm,” he said. “It might not have been the right shot at the right time. We’ve got to work on that because I think once you get down you start forcing things, trying to do whatever you can to get back into a game.”

The Bulls still have plenty of time to find that balance. But to become a better 3-point-shooting team is learning to flush away bad shooting nights. They certainly had one of those Wednesday, with uncharacteristic form from the majority of their most reliable shooters.

The offense went 4-for-16 from the corner, which is considered one of the most valuable shots on the court. LaVine went 2-for-9 from behind the arc. White went 2-for-7. Patrick Williams — who led the Bulls with a 41.5% 3-point accuracy last season — went 0-for-4. Only two players shot above 30% from behind the arc: DeMar DeRozan (1-for-3) and Torrey Craig (3-for-4).

Despite the poor accuracy, Donovan emphasized players can’t shy from shooting in the next game.

“I want guys confidently shooting the basketball,” Donovan said. “One of the things that was an issue for us last year is that we bypassed shots.”

So how should the Bulls approach their upcoming slate of games?

First: Don’t stop taking 3-pointers. It’s still a net improvement for a team that seemed almost scared to fire from deep last season. And it’s rare to see LaVine, White and Williams struggle on the same night. If that pattern persists, the Bulls would have a much bigger problem than shot selection.

That said, the way the Bulls generate 3s is just as important as taking the shots. In the second half, they strayed from their bread and butter of getting into the paint to force the defense to sag, then kicking out for high-percentage catch-and-shoot looks. Deep shots can be a crutch when it feels like nothing is working around the rim, but they also lead to a stagnant offense.

Most important, the Bulls can’t lose their head during skids. LaVine voiced frustration with the way the team came apart in the third quarter. The offense broke down in the second half when misses and mistakes melded into frustration, leading the Bulls to give up quick runs.

“Do we have enough resiliency when we’re not making shots to still keep staying with it?” Donovan said. “You can tell guys get down, get dejected. There’s got to be some resiliency and some fight to get through that.”

()

The Bulls took 42 3s in Wednesday’s 124-104 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. That’s higher than last season’s average attempts of all but two teams — the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors.

For a team that finished last in 3-point shooting volume for two consecutive seasons, that might feel like a welcome change. But the Bulls also couldn’t make those attempts, finishing 12-for-42 (29.3%) in the loss.

The stale shooting night forced the Bulls to consider whether they overcorrected.

“It’s an interesting question, because I’ve been dealing with for the last two years. ‘We don’t take enough 3s. We need to take 40 3s.’ Now it’s about makes,” coach Billy Donovan said with a laugh after the loss. “For us, we’ve got to play through the paint and generally those 3s will come through the paint. If they’re good shots and they’re open shots, we’ve got to take them. There’s going to be games we don’t shoot it well, but I think you still want to sustain that.”

Growing pains are understandable with a group of players attempting to redefine the way they fit together. The Bulls entered this season with the same personnel but also have goals to take more 3-pointers. Donovan never set a quota for shot attempts, but guards Coby White and Zach LaVine believe the Bulls will be more successful if they can average attempts in the mid-30s.

Making this change would require the Bulls to strike the right balance of shot selection. On Wednesday, the Bulls took 42% of their shots from behind the arc and 28% at the rim. Last season they averaged 30.4% of their shots from 3-point range and 34.4% at the rim. That’s a pretty steep swing.

The Bulls clearly need to get more shots up from behind the arc, but that can’t come at the sacrifice of paint touches or looks at the rim. Once a team starts settling for jacked-up 3-pointers, the offense becomes flat and easier to guard — especially on a cold night.

In the opener, LaVine felt that balance tipped in the wrong direction.

“Some of the looks we got, it wasn’t really in rhythm,” he said. “It might not have been the right shot at the right time. We’ve got to work on that because I think once you get down you start forcing things, trying to do whatever you can to get back into a game.”

The Bulls still have plenty of time to find that balance. But to become a better 3-point-shooting team is learning to flush away bad shooting nights. They certainly had one of those Wednesday, with uncharacteristic form from the majority of their most reliable shooters.

The offense went 4-for-16 from the corner, which is considered one of the most valuable shots on the court. LaVine went 2-for-9 from behind the arc. White went 2-for-7. Patrick Williams — who led the Bulls with a 41.5% 3-point accuracy last season — went 0-for-4. Only two players shot above 30% from behind the arc: DeMar DeRozan (1-for-3) and Torrey Craig (3-for-4).

Despite the poor accuracy, Donovan emphasized players can’t shy from shooting in the next game.

“I want guys confidently shooting the basketball,” Donovan said. “One of the things that was an issue for us last year is that we bypassed shots.”

So how should the Bulls approach their upcoming slate of games?

First: Don’t stop taking 3-pointers. It’s still a net improvement for a team that seemed almost scared to fire from deep last season. And it’s rare to see LaVine, White and Williams struggle on the same night. If that pattern persists, the Bulls would have a much bigger problem than shot selection.

That said, the way the Bulls generate 3s is just as important as taking the shots. In the second half, they strayed from their bread and butter of getting into the paint to force the defense to sag, then kicking out for high-percentage catch-and-shoot looks. Deep shots can be a crutch when it feels like nothing is working around the rim, but they also lead to a stagnant offense.

Most important, the Bulls can’t lose their head during skids. LaVine voiced frustration with the way the team came apart in the third quarter. The offense broke down in the second half when misses and mistakes melded into frustration, leading the Bulls to give up quick runs.

“Do we have enough resiliency when we’re not making shots to still keep staying with it?” Donovan said. “You can tell guys get down, get dejected. There’s got to be some resiliency and some fight to get through that.”

()

Porzingis knows this. He embraces it. On Wednesday night, it fueled him.

With 2:03 remaining in a tight season opener, Knicks fans got mad at him. Porzingis, after corralling a rebound, was fouled and inadvertently hit Isaiah Hartenstein with an elbow, sending him to the floor. The Garden erupted. “(Expletive) Porzingis!” chants filled the arena.

“I did not hear,” Porzingis said with a wry smile afterward.

Of course, he did. It didn’t bother him.

“For me it was fun,” Porzingis said. “I was just enjoying all of that and using it as motivation to make some big plays at the end. It was actually really, really fun tonight to play and be in that environment.”

It was only fitting that Porzingis was the one who willed the Celtics to their season-opening victory. Facing his former team, in the arena he called his first NBA home, Porzingis showcased so many of the ways he can be the difference-maker that propels Boston to a championship this season.

With the extra spacing he provides, he killed the Knicks with his shooting. He was a terror defensively, making fans forget about Robert Williams, as an elite rim protector as he finished with four blocks and several more stops. In crunch time, he showed he might be the piece that the Celtics had been missing in those late, tight moments as he scored nine consecutive points to close the victory.

When Jayson Tatum faced a double team and found Porzingis open for the ultimately decisive 3-pointer with 1:29 to go, Tatum stretched out both of his arms in celebration. Porzingis took the load off his shoulders.

“He just makes us that much more dynamic obviously with his size, ability to shoot, make plays off the dribble,” Tatum said. “When they double me late, make the right play, find an open man. Obviously he can shoot from wherever. I mean, he’s really good. He’s really, really good. We’re lucky to have him.”

The significance of coming through in crunch time wasn’t lost on Porzingis.

“It’s important, I think,” Porzingis said. “It’s important to show what my mindset is in tight games like this and probably showing them that I’ll be there. I’ll be there and do what I can on both ends. I think today was a good step for us to build that trust.”

Defensively, the Celtics flashed their potential on Wednesday. Derrick White and Jrue Holiday created some havoc as they forced some turnovers to get the Celtics in transition. Holiday helped shut down the bigger Julius Randle, who went just 5-for-22. The Celtics’ effort and togetherness on that end showed in crunch time as they consistently limited the Knicks to one shot and held them to just five points over the final four minutes.

Porzingis’ defense almost stood out more than his offense. He was the biggest reason why the Knicks struggled to have success inside, as they were held to 18-for-56 on two-point field goals.

Porzingis gave credit to the coaching staff for putting him in the right situations and positions on defense, an area he seems energized to show what he can do.

“KP is hungry and excited to be here,” Tatum said. “And knows how important he is to this team and what we need him to bring each and every night. It’s a sense of pride that we, everybody has to have on defense, right? We got some All-NBA defensive guys on this team, some guys that are capable of making that team. And essentially, you don’t want to be like the slouch out there, right? And KP is definitely holding his own and everybody individually wants to hold their own defense so we can be better as a unit. And that’s just a pride thing and effort.”

Other takeaways:

– Jaylen Brown struggled. He finished with 11 points and made some bad decisions throughout the night, including a costly sequence in the fourth when he committed two turnovers and a foul on a 3-pointer as the Knicks surged ahead. But he earned some credit for some of the Celtics’ late-game execution.

“It was just one game,” Tatum said. “We know how special he is. Everybody’s going to have not great shooting nights but he still impacted the game in other ways. He got some key rebounds and loose balls at the end to give us some more possessions. I’m not going to shoot the ball great some nights, KP’s not, but it’s all about how you impact the game in other ways. So JB’s going to be fine. He’s probably going to have a great game on Friday.”

– While Holiday looked great – as usual – defensively, he’s clearly still trying to get comfortable with the offense as he continues to build chemistry and learn tendencies with some new teammates after being traded less than a month ago.

“I think he’s still learning,” C’s coach Joe Mazzulla said. “Especially when you’re out there with four guys that can dribble-drive, you gotta just find your opportunities to play and find your opportunities to space and find your opportunities to screen. We just gotta simplify it for him.”

– A big, necessary area of clean-up for the Celtics: They gave up 17 offensive rebounds to the Knicks, resulting in 20 second-chance points.

– Tatum has dealt with his fair share of injuries over the last few seasons, including his wrist and the ankle injury he suffered in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals last season. He said before the season opener that his body feels good after a full summer off, and he looked fresh in the win over the Knicks as he finished with 34 points and 11 rebounds. He did commit four turnovers, though, including one that was nearly costly in the final minute as the C’s were trying to hold on.

“I had too many turnovers,” Tatum said. “It was the first game of the season, cut me some slack.”

– The Celtics reported zero injuries and are fully healthy for Friday’s home opener against the Heat.

For nearly three quarters Wednesday at the United Center, they hung tight with a young Oklahoma City Thunder squad. With a little more than three minutes left in the third quarter, the Bulls trailed by one.

But in a matter of minutes, calamity struck. Nikola Vučević sacrificed two points via technical free throws earned by talking back to the referees. A handful of jumpers later and the Thunder suddenly led by nine.

The quarter ended, giving the Bulls time to compose themselves. Instead they allowed the Thunder to sink three consecutive 3-pointers to open the final quarter, sinking into the sludge of a 16-point deficit they couldn’t overcome.

Fans exited early from the season opener as the Bulls lost 124-104.

Here are six takeaways from the game.

1. Zach LaVine suffered a slow start.

LaVine was eager to start fresh after entering last season hindered by a slow recovery from knee surgery. But his first outing was similarly sluggish as he struggled to find his shot.

LaVine went 0-for-4 from the field in the first half, scoring all six of his points on free throws. He sat the last 10 minutes of the half after picking up three fouls and turning the ball over four times.

After opening the second half with a 3-pointer, LaVine’s off shooting night continued. He finished 4-for-16 from the field and 2-for-9 behind the arc. And despite working to the rim consistently in the first half, he wasn’t able to earn another free throw in the second half, finishing with 16 points.

2. The Bulls showed solid 3-point shooting quantity but lacked quality.

The Bulls entered the season with one main offensive goal: take more 3-pointers.

That improvement appeared quickly. They took 42 3s on Wednesday. The problem was those shots didn’t fall with regularity.

The Bulls went 6-for-23 behind the arc in the first half and finished 12-for-42. With the Thunder shooting 19-for-39 on 3s, it was nearly impossible for the Bulls to keep pace on offense.

“There wasn’t really a rhythm,” LaVine said. “It might not have been the right shot at the right time. So I think we’ve got to work at that because once you get down, you start forcing things to get back into the game, see what works, what doesn’t. At that point, the game was a struggle.”

DeMar DeRozan took three attempts behind the arc, hitting one, to maintain an uptick in his long-range shooting volume from the preseason. He was one of three players to finish above 30% on 3s. Torrey Craig went 3-for-4 and Ayo Dosunmu went 2-for-4, with both of his makes coming in garbage time.

LaVine went 2-for-9, Coby White 2-for-7 and Patrick Williams 0-for-4.

3. A poor finish elicited a team meeting.

Frustration was high after the loss, leading players to ask coach Billy Donovan to give them space for conversation immediately after the game.

Vučević described the conversation as “constructive” and necessary, with players voicing their opinions without yelling or losing control.

“I think it’s good that we had those,” Vučević said. “It was needed. It was just regular discussions of what needed to be done.

“It wasn’t nothing crazy, no fighting, none of that. Just really constructive. It’s maybe one of the first times since I’ve been here that it was like this, and it was really needed.”

But the immediate necessity for intense conversation reflected the poor footing the Bulls are on to start the season.

4. The offense succeeded in two key areas.

The Bulls are judging their offense by two other key statistics this season: offensive rebounds and free throws. Both help to capture the intensity with which the Bulls are attacking the paint and rim, which is critical to balancing the floor and creating more 3-point opportunities.

Both statistics were positive in the opener. The Bulls matched the Thunder with 18 free-throw attempts (the Thunder made 15, the Bulls 14). And the Bulls outrebounded the Thunder 13-5 on the offensive boards to tally 19 second-chance points.

5. A tepid start for Patrick Williams.

No player will fall under a more focused microscope this season than Williams, whose first outing was relatively lukewarm.

Williams was the only starter not to tally double-digit scoring, finishing with eight points. But he also recorded a minus-3 plus/minus rating — second to LaVine among the starters — in part due to his consistent defending, which included two steals.

Williams still lacked some of the physicality the Bulls hope to draw out of him. He didn’t record a rebound until midway through the third quarter and did not draw a foul. But several of his athletic moves to the basket showcased a baseline for how he can make an impact.

6. Andre Drummond welcomed Chet Holmgren to the NBA.

Every NBA player has a “welcome to the league” story — that moment when he went toe-to-toe with a professional for the first time and ended up worse for the wear.

For Thunder center Chet Holmgren, that moment came Wednesday at the hands of Bulls center Andre Drummond.

This is the rookie season for Holmgren, who missed last season with a foot injury after he was selected No. 2 in the 2022 NBA draft. Holmgren recorded a strong debut with 11 points — but he also hit the deck attempting to guard Drummond in the second quarter.

Drummond poked the ball out of Holmgren’s hands at the top of the key, then took the ball full-court, crossing up Holmgren and sending the 7-footer tumbling to the hardwood on his way to the rim for a layup.

The play was a highlight on a solid night from Drummond, who finished with six points and five rebounds off the bench.

()

For nearly three quarters Wednesday at the United Center, they hung tight with a young Oklahoma City Thunder squad. With a little more than three minutes left in the third quarter, the Bulls trailed by one.

But in a matter of minutes, calamity struck. Nikola Vučević sacrificed two points via technical free throws earned by talking back to the referees. A handful of jumpers later and the Thunder suddenly led by nine.

The quarter ended, giving the Bulls time to compose themselves. Instead they allowed the Thunder to sink three consecutive 3-pointers to open the final quarter, sinking into the sludge of a 16-point deficit they couldn’t overcome.

Fans exited early from the season opener as the Bulls lost 124-104.

Here are six takeaways from the game.

1. Zach LaVine suffered a slow start.

LaVine was eager to start fresh after entering last season hindered by a slow recovery from knee surgery. But his first outing was similarly sluggish as he struggled to find his shot.

LaVine went 0-for-4 from the field in the first half, scoring all six of his points on free throws. He sat the last 10 minutes of the half after picking up three fouls and turning the ball over four times.

After opening the second half with a 3-pointer, LaVine’s off shooting night continued. He finished 4-for-16 from the field and 2-for-9 behind the arc. And despite working to the rim consistently in the first half, he wasn’t able to earn another free throw in the second half, finishing with 16 points.

2. The Bulls showed solid 3-point shooting quantity but lacked quality.

The Bulls entered the season with one main offensive goal: take more 3-pointers.

That improvement appeared quickly. They took 42 3s on Wednesday. The problem was those shots didn’t fall with regularity.

The Bulls went 6-for-23 behind the arc in the first half and finished 12-for-42. With the Thunder shooting 19-for-39 on 3s, it was nearly impossible for the Bulls to keep pace on offense.

“There wasn’t really a rhythm,” LaVine said. “It might not have been the right shot at the right time. So I think we’ve got to work at that because once you get down, you start forcing things to get back into the game, see what works, what doesn’t. At that point, the game was a struggle.”

DeMar DeRozan took three attempts behind the arc, hitting one, to maintain an uptick in his long-range shooting volume from the preseason. He was one of three players to finish above 30% on 3s. Torrey Craig went 3-for-4 and Ayo Dosunmu went 2-for-4, with both of his makes coming in garbage time.

LaVine went 2-for-9, Coby White 2-for-7 and Patrick Williams 0-for-4.

3. A poor finish elicited a team meeting.

Frustration was high after the loss, leading players to ask coach Billy Donovan to give them space for conversation immediately after the game.

Vučević described the conversation as “constructive” and necessary, with players voicing their opinions without yelling or losing control.

“I think it’s good that we had those,” Vučević said. “It was needed. It was just regular discussions of what needed to be done.

“It wasn’t nothing crazy, no fighting, none of that. Just really constructive. It’s maybe one of the first times since I’ve been here that it was like this, and it was really needed.”

But the immediate necessity for intense conversation reflected the poor footing the Bulls are on to start the season.

4. The offense succeeded in two key areas.

The Bulls are judging their offense by two other key statistics this season: offensive rebounds and free throws. Both help to capture the intensity with which the Bulls are attacking the paint and rim, which is critical to balancing the floor and creating more 3-point opportunities.

Both statistics were positive in the opener. The Bulls matched the Thunder with 18 free-throw attempts (the Thunder made 15, the Bulls 14). And the Bulls outrebounded the Thunder 13-5 on the offensive boards to tally 19 second-chance points.

5. A tepid start for Patrick Williams.

No player will fall under a more focused microscope this season than Williams, whose first outing was relatively lukewarm.

Williams was the only starter not to tally double-digit scoring, finishing with eight points. But he also recorded a minus-3 plus/minus rating — second to LaVine among the starters — in part due to his consistent defending, which included two steals.

Williams still lacked some of the physicality the Bulls hope to draw out of him. He didn’t record a rebound until midway through the third quarter and did not draw a foul. But several of his athletic moves to the basket showcased a baseline for how he can make an impact.

6. Andre Drummond welcomed Chet Holmgren to the NBA.

Every NBA player has a “welcome to the league” story — that moment when he went toe-to-toe with a professional for the first time and ended up worse for the wear.

For Thunder center Chet Holmgren, that moment came Wednesday at the hands of Bulls center Andre Drummond.

This is the rookie season for Holmgren, who missed last season with a foot injury after he was selected No. 2 in the 2022 NBA draft. Holmgren recorded a strong debut with 11 points — but he also hit the deck attempting to guard Drummond in the second quarter.

Drummond poked the ball out of Holmgren’s hands at the top of the key, then took the ball full-court, crossing up Holmgren and sending the 7-footer tumbling to the hardwood on his way to the rim for a layup.

The play was a highlight on a solid night from Drummond, who finished with six points and five rebounds off the bench.

()

For nearly three quarters Wednesday at the United Center, they hung tight with a young Oklahoma City Thunder squad. With a little more than three minutes left in the third quarter, the Bulls trailed by one.

But in a matter of minutes, calamity struck. Nikola Vučević sacrificed two points via technical free throws earned by talking back to the referees. A handful of jumpers later and the Thunder suddenly led by nine.

The quarter ended, giving the Bulls time to compose themselves. Instead they allowed the Thunder to sink three consecutive 3-pointers to open the final quarter, sinking into the sludge of a 16-point deficit they couldn’t overcome.

Fans exited early from the season opener as the Bulls lost 124-104.

Here are six takeaways from the game.

1. Zach LaVine suffered a slow start.

LaVine was eager to start fresh after entering last season hindered by a slow recovery from knee surgery. But his first outing was similarly sluggish as he struggled to find his shot.

LaVine went 0-for-4 from the field in the first half, scoring all six of his points on free throws. He sat the last 10 minutes of the half after picking up three fouls and turning the ball over four times.

After opening the second half with a 3-pointer, LaVine’s off shooting night continued. He finished 4-for-16 from the field and 2-for-9 behind the arc. And despite working to the rim consistently in the first half, he wasn’t able to earn another free throw in the second half, finishing with 16 points.

2. The Bulls showed solid 3-point shooting quantity but lacked quality.

The Bulls entered the season with one main offensive goal: take more 3-pointers.

That improvement appeared quickly. They took 42 3s on Wednesday. The problem was those shots didn’t fall with regularity.

The Bulls went 6-for-23 behind the arc in the first half and finished 12-for-42. With the Thunder shooting 19-for-39 on 3s, it was nearly impossible for the Bulls to keep pace on offense.

“There wasn’t really a rhythm,” LaVine said. “It might not have been the right shot at the right time. So I think we’ve got to work at that because once you get down, you start forcing things to get back into the game, see what works, what doesn’t. At that point, the game was a struggle.”

DeMar DeRozan took three attempts behind the arc, hitting one, to maintain an uptick in his long-range shooting volume from the preseason. He was one of three players to finish above 30% on 3s. Torrey Craig went 3-for-4 and Ayo Dosunmu went 2-for-4, with both of his makes coming in garbage time.

LaVine went 2-for-9, Coby White 2-for-7 and Patrick Williams 0-for-4.

3. A poor finish elicited a team meeting.

Frustration was high after the loss, leading players to ask coach Billy Donovan to give them space for conversation immediately after the game.

Vučević described the conversation as “constructive” and necessary, with players voicing their opinions without yelling or losing control.

“I think it’s good that we had those,” Vučević said. “It was needed. It was just regular discussions of what needed to be done.

“It wasn’t nothing crazy, no fighting, none of that. Just really constructive. It’s maybe one of the first times since I’ve been here that it was like this, and it was really needed.”

But the immediate necessity for intense conversation reflected the poor footing the Bulls are on to start the season.

4. The offense succeeded in two key areas.

The Bulls are judging their offense by two other key statistics this season: offensive rebounds and free throws. Both help to capture the intensity with which the Bulls are attacking the paint and rim, which is critical to balancing the floor and creating more 3-point opportunities.

Both statistics were positive in the opener. The Bulls matched the Thunder with 18 free-throw attempts (the Thunder made 15, the Bulls 14). And the Bulls outrebounded the Thunder 13-5 on the offensive boards to tally 19 second-chance points.

5. A tepid start for Patrick Williams.

No player will fall under a more focused microscope this season than Williams, whose first outing was relatively lukewarm.

Williams was the only starter not to tally double-digit scoring, finishing with eight points. But he also recorded a minus-3 plus/minus rating — second to LaVine among the starters — in part due to his consistent defending, which included two steals.

Williams still lacked some of the physicality the Bulls hope to draw out of him. He didn’t record a rebound until midway through the third quarter and did not draw a foul. But several of his athletic moves to the basket showcased a baseline for how he can make an impact.

6. Andre Drummond welcomed Chet Holmgren to the NBA.

Every NBA player has a “welcome to the league” story — that moment when he went toe-to-toe with a professional for the first time and ended up worse for the wear.

For Thunder center Chet Holmgren, that moment came Wednesday at the hands of Bulls center Andre Drummond.

This is the rookie season for Holmgren, who missed last season with a foot injury after he was selected No. 2 in the 2022 NBA draft. Holmgren recorded a strong debut with 11 points — but he also hit the deck attempting to guard Drummond in the second quarter.

Drummond poked the ball out of Holmgren’s hands at the top of the key, then took the ball full-court, crossing up Holmgren and sending the 7-footer tumbling to the hardwood on his way to the rim for a layup.

The play was a highlight on a solid night from Drummond, who finished with six points and five rebounds off the bench.

()

Donovan asked the team if it needed a moment alone. Players responded in agreement.

Game 1 might seem early for a players meeting. But Donovan emphasized that conversations weren’t disrespectful and never spiraled out of control.

“It’s not like they were screaming at each other,” he said.

Hashing out the mistakes that led to the loss felt like a necessity to the players.

“I think it’s good that we had those,” center Nikola Vučević said. “It was needed. It was just regular discussions of what needed to be done.

“It wasn’t nothing crazy, no fighting, none of that. Just really constructive. It’s maybe one of the first times since I’ve been here that it was like this, and it was really needed.”

The frustration stemmed from the second half, when the Bulls lost a one-point lead, then clawed back to a one-point deficit only to allow a 15-point run in a five-minute span between the end of the third quarter and the start of the fourth.

The Bulls lost their offensive rhythm in the second half and shot 12-for-42 from 3-point range in the loss.

“I don’t feel like we played with enough heart, and that’s on us,” guard Zach LaVine said. “It’s a terrible way to come out to start the season. It’s unacceptable.

”Guys want to win. You put up a game like this in Game 1, you’re going to have some conversations. Guys are frustrated and you should be. Good thing, it just sucks to have it happen in Game 1.”

In order to improve this season, Donovan feels the Bulls need to learn how to push through moments of poor shooting — a familiar weakness from last season.

“You can just tell guys get down, they get dejected,” Donovan said. “There’s got to be some resiliency and some fight to get through that.”

Confrontation had already sparked on the Bulls bench before the final whistle. Vučević stormed to the sideline midway through the third quarter, exchanging heated words with Donovan centered on a lack of touches and movement through the paint.

Donovan acknowledged that he and Vučević could have “handled the moment better” but said he never felt the conflict went too far. And Donovan felt the intensity of the players’ reactions — both by Vučević on the sideline and the entire team in the locker room — reflected improvement in the overall psyche of the roster.

“That would have never happened last year. Ever. The confrontation piece is a sign that it’s important and that they know there’s things we need to do better,” Donovan said. “If that’s happening in Game 1, I think it’s in some ways really, really good because people are now stepping up saying, ‘Hey, there’s certain things that have just got to be better.’”

The Bulls are already on the wrong foot to start the season. They’ll test the effectiveness of Wednesday’s learning curve when they host the Toronto Raptors on Friday before heading on a three-game trip to face the Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers and Dallas Mavericks.

With a roster that barely changed from last season, it’s clear that improvements will have to be made internally — and quickly to avoid falling behind in the Eastern Conference.

“Every issue is fixable,” Vučević said. “We talked about it. We’re all aware of it. We’ve just got to fix it now.”

()

Donovan asked the team if it needed a moment alone. Players responded in agreement.

Game 1 might seem early for a players meeting. But Donovan emphasized that conversations weren’t disrespectful and never spiraled out of control.

“It’s not like they were screaming at each other,” he said.

Hashing out the mistakes that led to the loss felt like a necessity to the players.

“I think it’s good that we had those,” center Nikola Vučević said. “It was needed. It was just regular discussions of what needed to be done.

“It wasn’t nothing crazy, no fighting, none of that. Just really constructive. It’s maybe one of the first times since I’ve been here that it was like this, and it was really needed.”

The frustration stemmed from the second half, when the Bulls lost a one-point lead, then clawed back to a one-point deficit only to allow a 15-point run in a five-minute span between the end of the third quarter and the start of the fourth.

The Bulls lost their offensive rhythm in the second half and shot 12-for-42 from 3-point range in the loss.

“I don’t feel like we played with enough heart, and that’s on us,” guard Zach LaVine said. “It’s a terrible way to come out to start the season. It’s unacceptable.

”Guys want to win. You put up a game like this in Game 1, you’re going to have some conversations. Guys are frustrated and you should be. Good thing, it just sucks to have it happen in Game 1.”

In order to improve this season, Donovan feels the Bulls need to learn how to push through moments of poor shooting — a familiar weakness from last season.

“You can just tell guys get down, they get dejected,” Donovan said. “There’s got to be some resiliency and some fight to get through that.”

Confrontation had already sparked on the Bulls bench before the final whistle. Vučević stormed to the sideline midway through the third quarter, exchanging heated words with Donovan centered on a lack of touches and movement through the paint.

Donovan acknowledged that he and Vučević could have “handled the moment better” but said he never felt the conflict went too far. And Donovan felt the intensity of the players’ reactions — both by Vučević on the sideline and the entire team in the locker room — reflected improvement in the overall psyche of the roster.

“That would have never happened last year. Ever. The confrontation piece is a sign that it’s important and that they know there’s things we need to do better,” Donovan said. “If that’s happening in Game 1, I think it’s in some ways really, really good because people are now stepping up saying, ‘Hey, there’s certain things that have just got to be better.’”

The Bulls are already on the wrong foot to start the season. They’ll test the effectiveness of Wednesday’s learning curve when they host the Toronto Raptors on Friday before heading on a three-game trip to face the Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers and Dallas Mavericks.

With a roster that barely changed from last season, it’s clear that improvements will have to be made internally — and quickly to avoid falling behind in the Eastern Conference.

“Every issue is fixable,” Vučević said. “We talked about it. We’re all aware of it. We’ve just got to fix it now.”

()

Donovan asked the team if it needed a moment alone. Players responded in agreement.

Game 1 might seem early for a players meeting. But Donovan emphasized that conversations weren’t disrespectful and never spiraled out of control.

“It’s not like they were screaming at each other,” he said.

Hashing out the mistakes that led to the loss felt like a necessity to the players.

“I think it’s good that we had those,” center Nikola Vučević said. “It was needed. It was just regular discussions of what needed to be done.

“It wasn’t nothing crazy, no fighting, none of that. Just really constructive. It’s maybe one of the first times since I’ve been here that it was like this, and it was really needed.”

The frustration stemmed from the second half, when the Bulls lost a one-point lead, then clawed back to a one-point deficit only to allow a 15-point run in a five-minute span between the end of the third quarter and the start of the fourth.

The Bulls lost their offensive rhythm in the second half and shot 12-for-42 from 3-point range in the loss.

“I don’t feel like we played with enough heart, and that’s on us,” guard Zach LaVine said. “It’s a terrible way to come out to start the season. It’s unacceptable.

”Guys want to win. You put up a game like this in Game 1, you’re going to have some conversations. Guys are frustrated and you should be. Good thing, it just sucks to have it happen in Game 1.”

In order to improve this season, Donovan feels the Bulls need to learn how to push through moments of poor shooting — a familiar weakness from last season.

“You can just tell guys get down, they get dejected,” Donovan said. “There’s got to be some resiliency and some fight to get through that.”

Confrontation had already sparked on the Bulls bench before the final whistle. Vučević stormed to the sideline midway through the third quarter, exchanging heated words with Donovan centered on a lack of touches and movement through the paint.

Donovan acknowledged that he and Vučević could have “handled the moment better” but said he never felt the conflict went too far. And Donovan felt the intensity of the players’ reactions — both by Vučević on the sideline and the entire team in the locker room — reflected improvement in the overall psyche of the roster.

“That would have never happened last year. Ever. The confrontation piece is a sign that it’s important and that they know there’s things we need to do better,” Donovan said. “If that’s happening in Game 1, I think it’s in some ways really, really good because people are now stepping up saying, ‘Hey, there’s certain things that have just got to be better.’”

The Bulls are already on the wrong foot to start the season. They’ll test the effectiveness of Wednesday’s learning curve when they host the Toronto Raptors on Friday before heading on a three-game trip to face the Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers and Dallas Mavericks.

With a roster that barely changed from last season, it’s clear that improvements will have to be made internally — and quickly to avoid falling behind in the Eastern Conference.

“Every issue is fixable,” Vučević said. “We talked about it. We’re all aware of it. We’ve just got to fix it now.”

()

The Chicago Bulls forward started his 15th NBA season Wednesday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the United Center. DeRozan scored a team-high 20 points, but the Bulls lost 124-104.

DeRozan, 34, has collected numerous All-Star accolades and trips to the playoffs. But the first day of a fresh season still holds the same glow.

“It’s amazing to play this game so long, especially having looked at a lot of people that I watched play, some of them played 13, 14 years,” DeRozan said. “To still be going, to still love the game, to still have motivation, passion, everything about it — I don’t look at it like I feel old. It’s a blessing more than anything to still be playing.”

DeRozan wasn’t quite as confident on his first opening night in 2009, when he made his debut in Toronto for the Raptors against a Cleveland Cavaliers team that included Shaquille O’Neal and LeBron James.

“I was terrified as s—,” DeRozan said with a laugh. ”I was walking out there and it felt really like a dream.”

Despite his nerves, DeRozan’s debut went according to plan in a Raptors win. He scored eight points, had five rebounds and even blocked a shot from O’Neal midway through the first quarter.

DeRozan was simply star-struck to share the court with the former Lakers legend, whom he had grown up watching as a young fan in Los Angeles.

“I was like — I’m playing with Shaq,” DeRozan said. “I’ve been watching Shaq my whole life so stepping on the court with him — I’m like, ‘That’s Shaq.’ ”

More than a decade later, the tables are turned, and DeRozan is the star that rookies grew up watching. But he feels opening night only becomes more meaningful with time as he grows to cherish the game in the latter half of his career.

“It’s always exciting because that’s the first night of the journey,” DeRozan said. “The good, the bad, the ups and downs, the heartbreak, the wins, the losses, the learning experiences. My last eight opening nights, I’ve had that understanding of the journey that’s ahead of you.”

()

The Chicago Bulls forward started his 15th NBA season Wednesday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the United Center. DeRozan scored a team-high 20 points, but the Bulls lost 124-104.

DeRozan, 34, has collected numerous All-Star accolades and trips to the playoffs. But the first day of a fresh season still holds the same glow.

“It’s amazing to play this game so long, especially having looked at a lot of people that I watched play, some of them played 13, 14 years,” DeRozan said. “To still be going, to still love the game, to still have motivation, passion, everything about it — I don’t look at it like I feel old. It’s a blessing more than anything to still be playing.”

DeRozan wasn’t quite as confident on his first opening night in 2009, when he made his debut in Toronto for the Raptors against a Cleveland Cavaliers team that included Shaquille O’Neal and LeBron James.

“I was terrified as s—,” DeRozan said with a laugh. ”I was walking out there and it felt really like a dream.”

Despite his nerves, DeRozan’s debut went according to plan in a Raptors win. He scored eight points, had five rebounds and even blocked a shot from O’Neal midway through the first quarter.

DeRozan was simply star-struck to share the court with the former Lakers legend, whom he had grown up watching as a young fan in Los Angeles.

“I was like — I’m playing with Shaq,” DeRozan said. “I’ve been watching Shaq my whole life so stepping on the court with him — I’m like, ‘That’s Shaq.’ ”

More than a decade later, the tables are turned, and DeRozan is the star that rookies grew up watching. But he feels opening night only becomes more meaningful with time as he grows to cherish the game in the latter half of his career.

“It’s always exciting because that’s the first night of the journey,” DeRozan said. “The good, the bad, the ups and downs, the heartbreak, the wins, the losses, the learning experiences. My last eight opening nights, I’ve had that understanding of the journey that’s ahead of you.”

()