CHICAGO URBAN DAILY
CHICAGO (CHICAGO URBAN DAILY)— The feel-good opening act hit a wall in Boston Monday night.
The Celtics routed the Bulls 134-99 at TD Garden, turning a competitive first half into a blowout and handing Chicago its third loss in four games to start the season.
Boston’s Payton Pritchard came off the bench and torched the Bulls for a game-high 28 points, hitting 7 of 10 from three-point range — 19 of them in a third quarter that buried Chicago. Jayson Tatum added 23 points, seven rebounds and six assists as Boston shot 21 of 44 from deep and outrebounded Chicago 54-40.
The Bulls were still in it at halftime, down 66-54. Then Boston ripped off an 11-1 run in the third, stretched the lead to 104-73 by the end of the quarter, and led by as many as 40 in the fourth.
Norman Powell led Chicago with 20 points. Rookie Caleb Wilson, the story of the season’s first week, scored 17 in the loss — a quieter night after his 30-point home-opener explosion. Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis finished with 11 each.
The Bulls shot just 39.2 percent from the field and never found an answer for Boston’s bench or its ball movement.
Chicago gets no breather: the Bulls host the defending champion New York Knicks on Wednesday night. The rookie’s next chapter — and the team’s first real bounce-back test — comes at the United Center.
Stay tuned to Chicago Urban Daily as the Bulls’ season takes shape.
Reported by Chicago Urban Daily News. Visit chicagourbandailynews.com for updates.
