Zach LaVine tossed in a game-high 36 points and Nikola Vucevic added 16 points and 14 rebounds to lead the visiting Chicago Bulls to a 117-108 victory over the Boston Celtics on Thursday night.
Chicago outscored Boston 35-22 in the fourth quarter, when three technical fouls were called on the Celtics.
The Bulls received 17 points and eight rebounds from Ayo Dosunmu and extended their winning streak to three games.
Jayson Tatum had 31 points and 10 rebounds for Boston. Kristaps Porzingis finished with 20 points and eight boards, and Derrick White had 16 points and eight rebounds. Boston was 14 of 56 (25 percent) from the 3-point arc.
Chicago’s Josh Giddey did not play because of an ankle injury. Giddey is averaging 11.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 6.9 assists in 27 games this season.
Although they missed 18 of their 24 3-point attempts in the first half, the Celtics led 25-21 after one quarter and 57-54 at halftime. LaVine scored 20 of his points in the first 24 minutes.
It was 80-80 following a Dosunmu 3-pointer with 1:03 remaining in the third, but the Celtics responded with 3-pointers by Payton Pritchard and Tatum to take an 86-80 lead. Boston led 86-82 entering the fourth.
Chicago went in front on Talen Horton-Tucker’s layup that made it 92-90 with 9:24 to play. It was part of a 12-0 run that gave the Bulls a 99-90 advantage with 7:41 left.
The Bulls had a 99-96 lead when Boston coach Joe Mazzulla and Brown each received a technical foul. LaVine made two free throws and then connected on a 3-pointer that put the Bulls in front 104-96 with 5:02 to go.
Another LaVine free throw following a technical foul on Tatum gave Chicago its first double-digit lead, 108-98, with 3:10 left, and Boston failed to get closer than eight points the rest of the way.
–Field Level Media
Facing off for the first time since 2000, Georgia Tech and visiting Stanford will meet in Atlanta on Wednesday night in Atlantic Coast Conference play. Georgia Tech (11-13, 5-8 ACC)…
The Sacramento Kings are trying to position themselves for a strong playoff push coming out of the All-Star break. They’ll play two games in two nights against the Pelicans in…
Wake Forest has done much of the groundwork to stay in contention in the Atlantic Coast Conference and boost its credentials for postseason consideration. The Demon Deacons will try to…
Kings out to boost playoff hopes vs. last-place Pelicans
Wake Forest returns from long trek to face Florida State
Louisville continues comeback campaign at NC State
No. 3 Duke shrugs off setback, turns focus to Cal
Field Level Media - Professional sports content solutions | FLM
