The Bulls, the Celtics and the race up the Eastern Conference ladder

The Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls, bumper-to-bumper in a traffic-jammed Eastern Conference, arrive at Wednesday's game with different perspectives on their travels to this point, even if both have similar destinations in their GPS.

Chicago endured a meltdown against the Phoenix Suns on Monday night and hit a bit of a season low point. Asked about Chicago's lack of consistency after the loss, Derrick Rose said, "If I could put a finger on it, I wish I could. But I can't. I don't have an answer for that."

The Celtics, meanwhile, are feeling confident after a 111-93 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday gave them wins in three of their final four games on a tough road trip, with the lone defeat coming after a feverish late-game rally against the San Antonio Spurs. As Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge tweeted after Monday's game, "Best effort of the year. Really locked in tonight."

The Bulls are trying to live up to lofty expectations. The Celtics are hoping to take the next step in their progress. Both teams desire a spot in the top half of the East playoff ladder. The two teams meet three times over the next 44 days, including a pair of national TV battles starting with Wednesday's tilt at TD Garden (7 p.m. ET, ESPN/WatchESPN).

ESPN.com's Chris Forsberg and Nick Friedell discuss the state of the two teams, their college-to-pros coaches and the matchups to watch during Wednesday's game:

Chris Forsberg: Nick, I've got a sneaking suspicion that these two teams might just cross paths in May, but the East is far too clogged up to know exactly how it will all play out quite yet. What's the vibe in Chicago about these Bulls through the first quarter of the regular season?

Nick Friedell: Not good, my man. The Bulls still believe they are title contenders, but they are not playing with the consistency that championship-caliber teams have. Fans are frustrated by this group's performance on most nights. After years of watching Tom Thibodeau-led teams rack up regular-season wins, the Bulls sold Fred Hoiberg as an offensive guru who would upgrade things on that end of the floor. Problem is, through the first 18 games, the Bulls have one of the worst offenses in the league.

I hope things are a little better for you in Boston.

Forsberg: Well, Boston fans know a thing or two about inconsistencies. The Celtics have won 12 games by an average of 17 points, while losing nine games by an average of 10.1 points. Which is to say, either the Celtics have looked really good or they've looked really bad and fans up here tend to ride the emotional roller coaster based on the latest result. As Boston's record indicates, it has been more sunshine and puppy dogs than doom and gloom. It certainly helps that Boston has the third-best defensive rating in the league, which suggests it should be competitive most nights.

You mentioned Hoiberg. Celtics fans know all about transitioning behind a young coach who's making the jump from the college ranks. How is Hoiberg faring in the post-Thibs era?

Friedell: Not great so far. Any coach the Bulls brought in was going to have a huge shadow hovering over him because of the way things ended with Thibs and the success he had during his five-year tenure. Aside from the offensive woes, the issue for Hoiberg is that his new players still don't seem sure where to be on the floor. They are not picking up what he wants them to be doing yet. The Bulls are also having the same issues that they did a year ago -- in that some nights it seems they want to play hard and some nights they don't. They still have plenty of time to figure things out -- growing pains are part of any new regime -- but the early returns have been underwhelming.

Does everybody still love Brad Stevens in Boston?

Forsberg: Stevens probably will never pay for a meal in this town ... assuming he'll pull himself away from film study long enough to eat. Stevens endured a turnstile roster his first two years, yet Ainge contends that this is Stevens' toughest challenge because Boston has an extremely talent-balanced roster that makes crafting lineups and rotations difficult. Through it all, Stevens has gotten his teams to overachieve and play to a level greater than the sum of the parts would suggest. His creative after-timeout sets and late-game draw-ups have endeared him across the league. And in a city where sports fans are easily riled up, his unflappable demeanor makes him a true rock star.

A lot of Celtics fans had a crush on Bobby Portis before the draft this year and some were disappointed when Boston didn't grab him at No. 16. How's his rookie season going in Chicago?

Friedell: It hasn't really gone anywhere. Portis played well in the preseason and Bulls personnel were all high on him, but he has barely played this season -- 22 minutes over just three games. He's stuck behind Pau Gasol, Nikola Mirotic, Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson. Still, it's time for Hoiberg to find some minutes for him. The Bulls are lacking intensity, and that's one thing Portis could give them a jolt of each night.

I feel like there's a lot of depressing stuff coming from the Bulls -- the Celtics seem to be in a happier place. How does Ainge keep the smile off his face when he talks to you guys, knowing how many first-round picks (hello, Brooklyn!) he has in his future?

Forsberg: The Celtics have done an amazing job in the asset-collection phase of this on-the-fly rebuild, especially when you consider that along the way they've scooped up guys such as Isaiah Thomas and Jae Crowder -- two players who could still be key cogs even after Boston makes a move for an established superstar. Here's the only downside: While the Celtics are positioned for a big move with all their young talent, a pile of draft picks and cap flexibility, there's no obvious move in the offing. The Celtics are at the mercy of waiting for a disgruntled star to emerge, and then they still have to convince another team to bite (and teams will be leery given Ainge's track record in deals involving Kevin Garnett). Otherwise, Boston's fate is still a bit tied to pingpong balls (and the futility of the Nets). Ainge is content to remain in draft-and-develop mode and stay patient in the process.

What's the most interesting matchup you'll be focused on during Wednesday's Celtics-Bulls game?

Friedell: I'm not sure how much they will be matched up together -- but I always enjoy watching Rose and Evan Turner go at each other. They don't like one another dating back to their high school days in Chicago. There's always a little more intensity when those two are on the floor. What are you looking for?

Forsberg: With Turner handling the ball at times for Boston, we might just see the old Simeon/St. Joseph matchup a bit. Rose will be in the spotlight a lot from this vantage point, especially when he's matched up with Thomas. With Marcus Smart out with a knee injury (some are worried about his Rose-like propensity for injuries early in his NBA career), Thomas has operated as a starter much of this season and is maybe Boston's best shot for an All-Star. With Rose on the other side and a national stage, Thomas should have a little extra intensity for Wednesday's game.