If they can ratchet up their defensive game a notch or two, then they won't end up suffering another heartbreaking loss, like the 106-102 failure during Game 1.
The Celtics lost every quarter on their way to defeat.
And now they find themselves in a 2-0 series deficit following Tuesday's 111-94 Game 2 loss to the Chicago Bulls. He was masterful in 40:22 of playing time, logging a plus-24 and registering five steals and three blocked shots. The Celtics fell at Atlanta in Game 2 after losing Game 1 a year ago, scoring just seven points in an 89-72 loss. "Tonight, our job was easy". "I try to lock in and do what I can for my team".
Butler added eight rebounds and eight assists.
The team is obviously dealing with an emotional situation as All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas tries to play following the death of his younger sister in a vehicle accident on Saturday.
Isaiah Thomas scored 20 points for Boston (see full recap). But the Celtics haven't had enough scoring around him, having no one else on the team score 20 points in either of the first two games.
"(The Bulls) came in and took (it), and we have to do the same thing", said Boston's Jae Crowder.
A lot of the Bulls' offensive success came from the unselfish dribble-drive game of Rondo, who was jettisoned from the rotation at multiple points this season.
DeMar DeRozan scored 23 points and produced the go-ahead jump shot late in the fourth quarter. He had 22 points on 9-for-16 shooting with four rebounds. His step back jumper with 8.9 seconds remaining gave Toronto a 104-100 lead.
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While Rondo's time in the National Basketball Association following his long tenure with the Celtics can best be described as tumultuous, he is now back in the groove, despite being benched multiple times during the regular season by coach Fred Hoiberg. It's a pretty good welcoming back - [people ask] for autographs and pictures, so they have to boo me [later].
This was one of the few Celtics who played with the kind of fight needed to compete.
Patrick Patterson added two free throws for Toronto, while the Bucks were left to regret five missed shots to end the game.
Celtics coach Brad Stevens said he expects Thomas to rejoin the team in Chicago in advance of Friday's Game 3 against the Bulls.
He was much better in game two, going 6-for-12, including 2-of-5 from long range.
The Jazz had snatched a 97-95 game-one victory in Los Angeles despite losing star center Rudy Gobert in the opening seconds.
Jordan finished with 18 points and 15 rebounds, and Chris Paul added 21 points and 10 assists for the Clippers, who crushed the Jazz in the paint, 60-38.
DeMarre Carroll scored seven points in a 13-0 Toronto run that gave the Raptors a 73-60 lead midway through the third but the Bucks answered with a 15-4 run over the next three minutes.
"It's key when you have a point guard like him that controls the whole game - you've just got to play", said Dwyane Wade, who had 22 points, eight of them coming in a 10-0 spurt that put away Game 2.
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