Without Josh Giddey and Coby White, the Chicago Bulls bowed to the Boston Celtics, 115-101, at TD Garden in the two teams’ first meeting of the 2025–26 NBA season. While disappointed with the loss, Bulls head coach Billy Donovan gave props to Jaylen Brown for playing like an MVP and leading the Celtics as the surprising second seed in the East in January, all while surviving what many have presumed to be a down year without Jayson Tatum.
Anfernee Simons Steps Up as Jaylen Brown Has Rare Offnight
Jaylen Brown wasn’t exactly in his best form in his first matchup against the Bulls this season. The four-time NBA All-Star shot poorly from the field, making only 6 of his 24 field-goal attempts (25%), including an abysmal 1-for-6 from three (16.7%). He finished the game with a season-low 14 points but added 8 rebounds and 4 assists.
Anfernee Simons, though, picked up the slack, pouring in 27 points off the bench. The 26-year-old guard is slowly adapting to Joe Mazzulla’s system and has been a key part of the new roster this season.
Payton Pritchard was equally serviceable after firing 21 points of his own as the starting point guard. That goes for the Portuguese big man, Neemias Queta, who put up a 13-point, 13-rebound double-double, which is his sixth this season.
Celtics Take Second Seed Over the Knicks
Boston fans woke up a bit differently on Tuesday after the Celtics’ victory over the Bulls put them in the No. 2 spot in the Eastern Conference, allowing the Cs to leapfrog one of their biggest rivals in history—the New York Knicks.
The Celtics improved their record to 22-12, while the Bulls fell to 17-18.
While the Celtics are celebrating a huge win, the Knicks (23-13) are downtrodden after a 31-point blowout loss against the Detroit Pistons on the same day.
Billy Donovan Gives Credit Where Credit Is Due
After Jayson Tatum tore his Achilles during the 2025 NBA playoffs, many assumed that the Boston Celtics were done for this 2025–26 season. After all, they did just lose their superstar. In many ways, the Celtics, at least according to preseason prognosticators, should be struggling like the Indiana Pacers, who have been dead last in the standings for much of this season, with Tyrese Haliburton out as well due to—yes—a torn Achilles.
Surprisingly, the Cs are thriving, and Bulls coach Billy Donovan took note of it after the game, heaping high praise on the Celtics, especially head coach Joe Mazzulla and Jaylen Brown, whom Donovan says has been keeping Boston afloat. According to the former NCAA champion coach, Brown is playing “at an MVP level” and should at least be considered for season MVP alongside the likes of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Dončić, and Anthony Edwards.
Brown, 29, is certainly still in the middle of his prime but has constantly been in trade talks for the last couple of years. Despite the doubts, JB is actually having a career year, as he’s averaging 30.1 points per game and is the fourth-highest scorer in the league.
Although Boston is far from being the title favorites they once were, they have surprisingly kept their status as one of the better teams in the NBA, with Jaylen Brown leading the way.
