“I called this crew average. Fifty-six fouls later, I'm the one who needs a whistle to blow for help. Boston 134, Chicago 99, and Tatum still got it done on four fouls and 23 points.”
MONTY, THE MORNING AFTER
HOW THE WHISTLE WENT
Mon, Oct 26, 2026 · Final
CHI @ BOS Chicago at Boston
THE CREWZach Zarba(35)chief·Jacyn Goble(47)·Klajdi Mulla(new)
CHI 99BOS 134
WHISTLE VOLUME
50.8
fouls per 100 possessions · +5.8 vs average
478th busiest of 13,634 games since 2015
OUR CREW READ
Missed
Read as average before tip-off; it came in +5.8 fouls per 100 vs average.
We print the misses as loud as the hits.
Fouls by quarter
CHI BOS
Expected vs actual
| Fouls / 100 | Free throws / 100 | |
|---|---|---|
| CHI | 20.1 → 25.8 | 22.5 → 28.5 |
| BOS | 20.2 → 25.0 | 20.9 → 25.9 |
Expected before tip-off → what happened. Free throws: CHI 31, BOS 29.
Free throws: actual vs expected
Bar = free throws taken; tick = expected before tip-off.
The closer
15 Q4 fouls vs 13.3 a quarter before
Steady to the end
0 of the Q4 fouls came with the game within 10 points, 15 with it wider.
Foul-trouble watch: Jayson Tatum (BOS)
4 fouls · 23 pts · 28 min
Key whistles
- Q2 5:49 Paul George (BOS), personal foul: 3rd foul before half
- Q3 8:58 Paul George (BOS), offensive foul: 4th foul in Q3
- Q3 7:15 Jayson Tatum (BOS), personal foul: 4th foul in Q3
Picked by rule (foul trouble, close finish), not graded right or wrong.
BEFORE TIP-OFF
CREW READ
PENDING
The league posts referee assignments about 9 a.m. ET on game day. The crew read lands here as soon as it does.
What this crew calls
vs league, 1.00× = average
A league-average call mix: no call type stands out.
- Offensive fouls and charges0.96×
- Shooting fouls0.99×
- Loose-ball fouls1.02×
- Take fouls1.03×
- Technical fouls0.97×
- Traveling0.93×
Per game in this crew's games since 2022-23, against league average; each official shrunk toward league until the games pile up. Every call counts for all three officials.
The free-throw battle
how busy each end should be
CHI should get to the line more: about 1.0 extra free throws.
When CHI have the ballLeans quiet
quietleague middlebusy
CHI draw fouls: 5th fewest; get to the line: mid-pack. BOS commit fouls: mid-pack; give up free throws: 8th fewest. Expected free throws for CHI: 24.4.
When BOS have the ballQuiet end
quietleague middlebusy
BOS draw fouls: 7th fewest; get to the line: 0th fewest. CHI commit fouls: 3rd fewest; give up free throws: mid-pack. Expected free throws for BOS: 23.4.
League ranks this season, out of 30.
Where they stand
CHI BOS
Overall
When they defend
When they attack
League rank out of 30 this season, 1st = best for the team: most points scored, fewest allowed, fewest fouls and free throws given up, most fouls drawn and trips to the line. The right-hand number is how many places the leader is ahead.
Pace
possessions per 48 minutes
97slower · faster112
- CHI 106.1 · 1st fastest
- BOS 98 · 30th fastest
- Expected tonight 102
- Actual 110.2 (+8.2 vs expected)
Crew’s pace lean: neutral (24th percentile of crews on the slate). Crews do nudge pace, but only by about 0.7 possessions between the fastest and slowest tenth; the teams decide almost all of it.
What to expect
vs league avg
CHI
24.4
free throws
BOS
23.4
free throws
Who’s out
CHI
Nobody listed
BOS
Nobody listed
Foul-trouble watch, by team
2 fouls in Q1 or 3 by half
CHI
- Matas BuzelisElevated 1.6× typical
- Leonard MillerElevated 1.6× typical
- Isaac OkoroElevated 1.6× typical
Facing a team that draws fouls 7th fewest in the league.
BOS
Facing a team that draws fouls 5th fewest in the league.
Early foul trouble usually costs a player about 2 minutes. Bands compare with every regular on the nights we cover.
The lines
DraftKings · open → close
| Total | 233.5 → 233.5 |
|---|---|
| Spread | BOS -13.5 → -14.5 |
| Moneyline | CHI +575 → +525 · BOS -850 → -750 |
For information only. Prices move; check your book. 19+ (21+ in most of the US).
The crew read in detail: fouls, free throws and points vs the line
Fouls+0.1 per 100 poss not clear
Personal fouls by both teams per 100 possessions, against the league average, after allowing for the two teams.
Not clearly different from average: 80% likely between −0.7 and +0.9 per 100 poss.
n = 3 games (fewest on the crew). Each dot is one in twenty likely outcomes.
Free throws+0.2 per 100 poss not clear
Free-throw attempts by both teams per 100 possessions, against the league average.
Not clearly different from average: 80% likely between −0.7 and +1.2 per 100 poss.
n = 3 games (fewest on the crew). Each dot is one in twenty likely outcomes.
Points vs the line+0.3 points not clear
Final points minus the closing total in this crew's games. Near zero means the market already prices the crew.
Not clearly different from average: 80% likely between −0.6 and +1.1 points.
n = 3 games (fewest on the crew). Each dot is one in twenty likely outcomes.
Download the post-game card for sharing.
Counts and rates, not verdicts. One game is noise; we score the crew read by season: our track record.