Bulls dismantled in Boston leading to rookie Caleb Wilson speaking out

BOSTON – There was actually a hint of enthusiasm in Josh Giddey’s voice.

The Bulls guard was standing in the visiting locker room of Boston’s TD Garden on Monday, talking about the pending rematch just a few days later.

“We get another chance at these guys so it will be good to see how we respond,” Giddey insisted after that 134-99 drubbing.

Response seen.

Everyone, cover your eyes.

For the second time in a five-day period, the rebuilding Bulls (1-5) strolled into the Garden with high hopes, only to see them thrown to the ground, stomped on, and discarded with the other trash left on the court, again have an uncompetitive night against the Celtics in the 125-111 loss.

And the first game of pool play in the NBA Cup wasn’t even that close.

Enough so that rookie Caleb Wilson called out everything Bulls and the effort that was displayed, including himself.

“I’m 20 and I’ve never been a loser in my whole life so I’m going to try my best to make sure that doesn’t happen, and I’m not ever going to accept being a loser,” Wilson said of trying to will the team back into it in the second half. “This is my job to be a leader on this team and it’s all going to start with me, I know that. It’s partially my fault that we started off the way we did, whether I’m the youngest on the team or not. I take ownership for that and it won’t happen again.”

It felt unavoidable at times early Friday, as Boston (4-1) put on a complete clinic of every facet of the game from the opening tip, outscoring the Bulls 44-25 in that first stanza and never looking back. They didn’t need to.

The home team outscored the Bulls 24-10 in the paint in that opening quarter, outshot them 67%-32% from the field, while the Celtics bench put up 22 points compared to the Bulls’ second unit scoring a measly four.

Disappointing considering the Bulls were looking forward to seeing how they would respond against a top tier team in the East, but even more so because they had just played one of their better games Wednesday against the defending champion New York Knicks.

Lesson learned: Momentum in a rebuild is just a three-syllable word.

“I know that our team doesn’t have superstars like Jayson Tatum and Paul George, but we’re young and that’s going to be our advantage all year,” Wilson continued. “If we’re not going to play hard it’s not going to work, we’re going to lose every game. We’re all young, we shouldn’t be letting anyone play harder than us, that’s all what I was saying.”

Wilson wasn’t the only one that had something to say, after a second-half play in which Payton Pritchard snatched a rebound from Matas Buzelis, knocking him to the ground, and then seconds later took advantage of a Bulls turnover with a three-pointer. Veteran Buddy Hield was very vocal on the bench with his teammates during the timeout and rightfully so in Wilson’s book.

“Buddy was just saying that we needed to have some type of pride and passion, and I agree with it for sure,” Wilson said. “I mean we’re the Chicago Bulls. I feel like it’s unacceptable to be looking like we are and also be laying down that early in the game.”

Wilson ended up with 23 points, including six three-pointers, as well as grabbing five rebounds and handing out four assists.

But overall disappointing, especially on the defensive end, where it looked like strides were being made.

“My motto is always day-by-day,” veteran Isaac Okoro said of the defense. “I can see us starting to be more physical, picking up full court, getting into the ball more as the game goes on because everybody is preaching it just more and more. That doesn’t mean it’s where it needs to be at all.”