BOSTON -- The Boston Celtics played without new addition Al Horford for the first time this season on Wednesday night.Thanks to Isaiah Thomas and Amir Johnson, they didnt miss a beat.Thomas had 23 points and 10 assists, Johnson finished 23 points -- including a career-high four 3-pointers -- and the Boston Celtics handed the Chicago Bulls their first loss of the season, 107-100.Boston avenged its lone setback of the season despite being without Horford, who was placed in the concussion protocol Tuesday after exhibiting concussive symptoms during practice.Johnson was active from all over the court, scoring 16 points in the third quarter. The Bulls managed just 18 points in the period, their lowest scoring quarter of the season.I just made the first one and my confidence got a little higher, Johnson said of his 3-point performance. When I knocked down the fourth one, I dont even think I even saw the basket.The Bulls cut into what had been a 16-point Boston lead in the fourth quarter and tied it at 100 on two free throws by Nikola Mirotic. But Boston regained the lead 101-100, then went up five on a driving layup by Thomas and a basket by Marcus Smart.Jimmy Butler led Chicago with 23 points and nine rebounds.Before Wednesday Johnson had never made more than two 3-pointers in a game and had never attempted more than four. He entered the night 0 for 1 on the season.Boston led by as many as 14 points in the first half, but took only a two-point lead into halftime.After a slow start, Jae Crowder scored eight straight points during a 21-4 Boston run. The Bulls stayed in it via a few mini spurts, including an 8-0 run by Butler.But Crowder will join Horford on the injured list after he left in the second quarter with a left ankle sprain. Coach Brad Stevens said he doesnt expect Crowder back any time soon.Its a great opportunity for everybody else, Stevens said. Were early in the season, so everybody gets a chance to step up and make plays and compete. And well see. Well try to figure it out.TIP-INSBulls: G Michael Carter-Williams (left knee bruise, left wrist sprain) and Doug McDermott both sat out. Coach Fred Hoiberg said McDermott felt good, but that he hadnt gone 24 hours without experiencing symptoms yet.Celtics: Tyler Zeller started in place of Horford. ... Stevens said Horford would also sit out Bostons game Thursday against the Cavaliers. A teammate inadvertently swiped Horford in the face with the ball during practice on Monday, but Horford didnt show any initial symptoms. But he experienced some nausea in practice on Tuesday and was pulled.QUOTABLEWe fought our way back in the second quarter to get back in it. (Johnson) had a hell of a third quarter. I like the fight in this team. We gave ourselves a chance to win. -- Dwyane Wade on the Bulls second-half effort.NUMBERS GAMEThe Bulls outrebounded the Celtics 49-39 but they had 19 turnovers that led to 18 Boston points.BIG QUARTERThe Celtics 36 points in the first quarter were the most in a period for Boston this season. Its previous high was 33.WELCOME BACK MR. ROSEHoiberg said he thinks former Bulls guard Derrick Rose to get a good reception when he returns to the United Center later this week. I think he should be received well, Hoiberg said. Derrick did a lot of good things for the city and for the franchise. I think hell be received very well.UP NEXTBulls: They host the Knicks on Friday night in Roses first game back in Chicago since being traded to New York this offseason.Celtics: They head to Cleveland on Thursday for their first matchup of the season against the defending champions.---Follow Kyle Hightower on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/khightower Air Max Comprar Online .J. -- Marty Brodeur beat the Pittsburgh Penguins yet again. Air Max España Baratas . The 15th-ranked Canadian men lost the opening two games of their European tour: 19-15 to No. 17 Georgia and 21-20 to No. http://www.airmaxespana.es/ . Listen to the game live on TSN Radio 1050 at 7pm et. The Raptors traded Rudy Gay, Quincy Acy and Aaron Gray to the Sacramento Kings on Monday, in exchange for Greivis Vasquez, John Salmons, Patrick Patterson and Chuck Hayes. Nike Air Max Baratas . Team physician Dr. Steve Traina performed the surgery Friday. Robinson was injured in a spill underneath the Nuggets basket during the first quarter of Wednesday nights loss to the Charlotte Bobcats. Air Max Comprar Online España . Galatasaray said in a statement on its website Monday that Mancini signed a three-year contract and will be paid 3.5 million euros for the upcoming season, with his salary upped to 4. A weakened U.S. basketball team believes its still the strongest one in the Olympics.LeBron James, Stephen Curry and enough stars to fill an All-NBA team passed on playing, leaving the Americans with a roster that falls short against the Dream Team comparisons they always face.But the U.S. doesnt need to beat the Dream Team, or to be one. It just has to be the best in Brazil.I respect the guys that declined the opportunity, but I think we still have a great team here, a lot of talent, center DeMarcus Cousins said. We still have the same goal in mind, winning the gold medal.The Americans remain favored to do that, which would give them three in a row. Some things to watch as they try:THE U.S. ROSTERWhile theyre not the Dream Team, the U.S. squad in Rio is still an impressive group of players. The team includes: Golden States Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green; New Yorks Carmelo Anthony; Clevelands Kyrie Irving; Torontos Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan; Indianas Paul George; Dallas Harrison Barnes; Chicagos Jimmy Butler; Sacramentos DeMarcus Cousins and the Clippers DeAndre Jordan.THE FORMATTwo six-team groups. Each team faces the others in its pool, and the top four teams in each advance to the quarterfinals.Group A features the U.S., Serbia, France, China, Australia, and Venezuela.Group B is Spain, Lithuania, Brazil, Argentina, Croatia and Nigeria.WHICH GROUP IS TOUGHER?Group A is more top-heavy, with the U.S., Serbia and France finishing 1-2-3 in the Basketball World Cup two years ago. But Group B appears to be deeper, with Spain (No. 2), Lithuania (3), Argentina (4), Brazil (9) and Croatia (12) all among the top dozen ranked teams in the world.GRAB A SEAT, THIS WILL BE A WHILEThe Olympic basketball tournament runs nearly the entire length of the Games, making the first round of the NBA playoffs seem speedy. Competition begins Aug. 6, the day after the opening ceremony, and the medal games are Aug. 21, the day of the closing ceremony.ROLLING INTO RIOThe U.S. has won 63 straight games, 45 in FIIBA competitions and 18 in exhibition play.dddddddddddd.CAPTAIN AMERICACarmelo Anthony will become the first U.S. mens player to appear in four Olympics, and become the most decorated mens basketball Olympian ever if the U.S. wins a medal. He has a bronze from 2004 and golds in Beijing and London.THIRD TIME THE CHARM?Spain sure hopes this is the year it can break through, after pushing the U.S. deep into the final minutes of the last two gold-medal games. The Americans emerged with a 118-107 victory in 2008 and held on to win 107-100 in London. The Spanish bring back veterans such as Pau Gasol, Jose Calderon and Juan Carlos Navarro for a final shot.GOODBYE, GOLDEN GENERATIONThis certainly seems like the end for Argentinas greats, who won gold in 2004, bronze in 2008 and narrowly missed another medal when they finished fourth in 2012. Manu Ginobili, Luis Scola and Andres Nocioni are back, with Scola chosen as Argentinas flag bearer.BEST FIRST-ROUND DAYGroup B has some intriguing games on Aug. 13. Spain meets Lithuania in a rematch of the 2015 EuroBasket championship game, and Brazil and Argentina renew a fierce rivalry thats seen one knock the other out of the last three major international tournaments. Argentina eliminated Brazil in the 2010 world championship and 2012 Olympics, while the Brazilians -- coached by Ruben Magnano, who led Argentina to its 2004 gold -- ended the Argentinians stay in the 2014 Basketball World Cup. Croatia and Nigeria meet in the nightcap.MEN IN THE MIDDLESpain is keeping Marc Gasol on its roster for now and Australia is doing the same with Andrew Bogut, hoping their centers can return from injuries during the NBA season. France has added Utahs Rudy Gobert to its Rio roster after his recovery from injuries kept him out of the Olympic Qualifying Tournament it won in early July.---Follow Brian Mahoney on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Briancmahoney ' ' '