Bullied Around - Boston 96, Chicago 80

The kids aren't all right. Derrick Rose led a youthful Chicago Bulls team into the TD Banknorth Garden last night with their heads held high. Expectations for the Bulls this season are high, with their sights set on a return to the postseason. If they're going to reach that goal, they need to develop a bit of chemistry first.

I'm not going to sit here and call this a "game," because in many respects, it wasn't. This was a tutorial given by the defending World Champions. It looked like young undergraduates attending a senior seminar. Professors Garnett, Allen and Pierce taught them quite a lesson, with the help of T.A. Rondo. This was the type of contest that, as a Boston fan, you love to watch. You knew from the opening tip that the entire night was in the Celtics' hands. They established control by dominating the boards. Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins had ten rebounds apiece, and the Captain added nine of his own. Seem impressive? Take into account that Garnett and Perkins played a combined 54 minutes. Neither man eclipsed the 30-minute mark -- that's how early this game was over.

As a result, the bench got some solid playing time. Though, by the looks of how they played, you'd never know they were reserves. Last night was another coming-out party of sorts for guard Tony Allen and big man Leon Powe. Allen seems to have shed his mental issues following a knee surgery of 2006, and Powe seems to develop a bit more inside presence every time he steps foot on the parquet floor. Know who else made his season debut? The Celtics' resident ginger, Brian Scalabrine, whom the Boston crowd screams for whenever his hands touch the basketball. Everyone in that arena wanted "Scal" to drop 30 points out of nowhere. He didn't end up scoring a point. Good job, Brian.

The Celtics will now hit the road and take on the Pacers in Indianapolis. The young club, led by a newly-re-signed Danny Granger, has started the season 0-1 and will look to pick up their first win.

Final Score: Boston Celtics 96, Chicago Bulls 80
Player of the Game: Kevin Garnett (18 Pts, 10 Reb, 3 Ast)
Tommy Talk Quote of the Game: "Oh, wow! What was THAT? Was that a 'Scal Wrap-Around' Pass?!" -- Regarding a fancy Brian Scalabrine pass in the second half.

-- Dan Zappulla, Relaxing on a Saturday.