Boston @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 23, 2019 ) Boston 116, Chicago 126

The Boston Celtics are doing their best to take advantage of a handful of Eastern Conference also-rans, and they'll look to keep that trend alive when they visit the Chicago Bulls on Saturday. Playing without star guard Kemba Walker (illness), the Celtics squeaked past the lowly Atlanta Hawks on Friday 109-106 at home, improving to 7-1 during a stretch that includes five games against sub-.500 teams in the East, with Chicago (13-22) and Washington (10-24) up next.

Jaylen Brown had 24 points and 10 rebounds in Friday's win while Marcus Smart chipped in 15 points and a season high-tying nine assists. The Bulls will be trying for a split of their four-game homestand after dropping a 102-98 decision to the Utah Jazz on Thursday. Zach LaVine scored 26 points to lead Chicago, and its coach feels it is on the right path despite the team's record. "We are laying the foundation and the building blocks," coach Jim Boylen told reporters. "We're a new system, a new team with a new coach. I wanted to be a defensive team; we are. We need to improve our rebounding."

TIME: 8 p.m. ET. TV: NBCS Boston, NBCS Chicago

ABOUT THE CELTICS (24-8): Boston trailed by 18 points late in the first quarter against Atlanta before battling back, with Smart hitting a big 3-pointer in the final minute and Daniel Theis blocking Trae Young's 3-point try in the closing seconds. "We dug ourselves a hole but we stayed the course and we found a way," coach Brad Stevens told reporters before calling the block by Theis "a big-time basketball play." Gordon Hayward chipped in 18 points in the victory and is averaging 17.3 points and 7.3 rebounds over his last three games.

ABOUT THE BULLS (13-22): While Boylen wants a better effort on the boards, his team actually won that battle by a 45-42 margin in the loss to the Jazz. Wendell Carter Jr. recorded 13 rebounds to go along with 18 points for his team-leading 16th double-double. LaVine, who is 16-for-49 from the floor over the last two games, is hampered by ankle and shoulder issues but is expected to play Saturday.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Celtics C Enes Kanter will be a game-time decision after requiring stitches to close a cut on his chin Friday night.

2. Boston PF Jayson Tatum shot 2-of-16 on Friday after going 10-of-18 in Tuesday's win at Charlotte.

3. LaVine scored 42 points to help Chicago salvage the finale of last season's three-game series after it dropped the first two games by an average of 42.5 points.

PREDICTION: Celtics 105, Bulls 103