Celtics become second No. 1 seed ever to go down 2-0 against an 8 seed
The Chicago Bulls were a mess most of the season, but when they capped an unlikely sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers last month, suddenly their playoff hopes seemed very real. Of the three teams that were battling for the last two spots in the East, the Bulls had the easiest path to the playoffs.
They didn't look too convincing, though, losing to the Knicks and Nets and just squeaking in as the eighth seed, earning a date against the top-seeded Boston Celtics.
What a difference a week makes.
The Bulls beat the Celtics 111-97 on Tuesday to become just the second No. 8 seed to go up 2-0 on a No. 1 seed. The other: the 1993 Lakers against the Suns. The good news for the Celtics: That Suns team ended up reaching the NBA Finals.
The tragic death of Isaiah Thomas' younger sister in a car accident on the eve of the playoffs was expected to affect the Celtics star, but no one saw this coming.
Rondo looked at home in the Garden, getting 14 assists Tuesday night and finishing one rebound shy of a triple-double. Jimmy Butler is averaging 26 points in the series and Dwyane Wade dropped 22 in Game 2. Robin Lopez chipped in 18. Robin Lopez!
Naturally, hoops heads are beside themselves.
https://twitter.com/LaurenceWHolmes/status/854522471466364931
https://twitter.com/DontHateTheH3at/status/854522714094276611
https://twitter.com/Jumpshot8/status/854522697581187072
https://twitter.com/DannyD15_/status/854522069035343872
https://twitter.com/SpikeEskin/status/854520867476393984
https://twitter.com/RTSportsTalk/status/854520219406135296
https://twitter.com/DCzWall/status/854520041135583232
https://twitter.com/BigMikeGTBuzz/status/854519168816865280
https://twitter.com/CBSSports/status/854518016356356096
https://twitter.com/espn_macmahon/status/854517683114708992
https://twitter.com/PeterVecsey1/status/854516268128403456
https://twitter.com/MounBlanDreads/status/854506788305199105
https://twitter.com/TheFakeESPN/status/854502243852140544
https://twitter.com/RealMikeWilbon/status/854525105376034816
https://twitter.com/dkurtenbach/status/854522549186592768
https://twitter.com/RealSkipBayless/status/854521872658059264
https://twitter.com/andrewsharp/status/854518107771203584
https://twitter.com/World_Wide_Wob/status/854517514071666688
https://twitter.com/minakimes/status/854504088335024128
https://twitter.com/TimBontemps/status/854499206656143360
https://twitter.com/ByJayKing/status/854527935289708544
https://twitter.com/cjzero/status/854534350876139520
https://twitter.com/kirkmin/status/854523709415194628
