Boston Celtics vs Chicago Bulls

Lore & Background

The Celtics were coming off of an NBA Finals loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in seven games. Doc Rivers returned as coach after speculation he would resign. The team started 41–14 and were on top of the Eastern Conference during the All-Star break. After trading Kendrick Perkins mid-season, they won only 15 of their final 27 games, finishing 56–26 as the 3rd seed. In the playoffs, they swept the New York Knicks in the first round, then lost to the Miami Heat in five games in the conference semifinals. Shaquille O'Neal retired after the season.

In Their Own Story

The air inside the Boston Garden hung thick with sweat and the weight of history. The crowd's roar was a physical force as Larry Bird locked eyes with Michael Jordan from across the court. The scoreboard was irrelevant; only the challenge mattered. As Jordan drove hard, he felt the phantom presence of every Celtic champion who had ever walked this hardwood. Bird set a screen that seemed to rattle the floorboards—a silent, stubborn declaration that the old guard refused to fade. In that split second, the court became a collision point for two eras, where legacy hung in the balance and only one could claim the future.

Reader's Guide

The Big Four of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo and coach Rivers represented the Eastern Conference in the 2011 NBA All-Star Game. Key dates include the 2010 NBA draft on June 24, free agency starting July 1, and the regular season opening October 26 with an 88–80 win over the Miami Heat.

Did You Know?

• Rajon Rondo was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week on November 1, 2010.
• Doc Rivers was named Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for November 2010.
• Paul Pierce was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week on December 20, 2010.
• Paul Pierce became the 3rd Celtics player to score 20,000 points, joining Larry Bird and John Havlicek.
• On January 8, 2011, the Celtics joined the Lakers as the only franchises to reach 3,000 wins.