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Celtics Sit Six, But Rout Hornets

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston guard Payton Pritchard scored a career-high 31 points and had 11 assists to help the Celtics end a two-game losing streak with a 131-98 rout of the visiting Charlotte Hornets on Friday.

Neither team was near full strength.

Boston (63-18) was without the top six players in its rotation, as Jaylen Brown (hand), Jayson Tatum (knee), Jrue Holiday (knee), Al Horford (toe), Kristaps Porzingis (hamstring) and Derrick White (ankle) were downgraded from questionable to out.

Nick Richards (foot) and Grant Williams (ankle) didn’t play for the Hornets, who received 19 points and eight assists from Tre Mann plus 15 points from Nick Smith Jr.

Pritchard made 14 of his 22 field-goal attempts. He didn’t play in the fourth quarter.

Luke Kornet added 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Celtics, who are locked into the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference and will have home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. Boston will wrap up the regular season Sunday with a home game against the Washington Wizards.

Charlotte (20-61) will end its season on Sunday at Cleveland.

Sam Hauser (16), Neemias Queta (career-high 16) and Jaden Springer (season-high 11) were the other Celtics who scored in double figures.

Charlotte committed 20 turnovers and was out-rebounded 53-33. Boston had a 32-2 advantage in points off turnovers.

The Celtics led 30-24 after the first quarter and pulled away in the second. Boston led by three early in the quarter, but went on a 31-6 run and had a 69-41 lead after a Hauser 3-pointer with 34.1 seconds remaining in the half.

Charlotte committed a total of 12 turnovers in the first two quarters and trailed 69-43 at the break.

Pritchard had 23 points and nine assists in the opening half.

The Hornets outscored the Celtics 33-25 in the third, but Boston had a comfortable 94-76 lead entering the fourth. Charlotte never drew closer than 18 points in the final quarter.

–Field Level Media

Knicks Put Celtics in Place

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BOSTON – (Wire Service and Staff Report) – Jalen Brunson tossed in a game-high 39 points to help the visiting New York Knicks extend their winning streak to three games by beating the Boston Celtics 118-109 Thursday.

Brunson scored six points in the first quarter, 12 in the second and had 21 in the third. He made 15 of his 23 field goal attempts, including 6-of-11 3-point shots from behind the 3-point arc.

New York (48-32) remained in third place in the Eastern Conference standings, one game behind the Milwaukee Bucks (49-31). The Celtics (62-18), who have lost two straight, had previously secured the No. 1 seed in the East.

Donte DiVincenzo added 17 for the Knicks, who got 16 points and 16 rebounds from Josh Hart. Isaiah Hartenstein finished with 11 points, 13 rebounds and six assists.

Jayson Tatum led Boston with 18 points and seven assists. Boston received 15 points from Jaylen Brown and 14 points and eight rebounds from Kristaps Porzingis.

It was the fifth and final regular-season meeting this season. Boston won the first four.

The Knicks led 32-29 after one quarter and outscored the Celtics 37-19 in the second to take a 69-48 halftime lead. Boston trailed 47-45, but New York took control with a 17-0 run and was up 64-45 following a Brunson 3-pointer with 2:18 remaining in the half. The Knicks scored 25 of the final 30 points in the first half.

New York had a 32-17 rebounding advantage through the first two quarters, including a 12-3 edge at the offensive end. Brunson, who has scored at least 30 points in each of his last six games, led all scorers with 18 points in the half.

The Knicks were up 90-71 after the third quarter and had a 31-point lead in the fourth. Boston rested its starters in the final quarter.

New York held a 52-36 edge in rebounds.

–Field Level Media

Hoophall To Enshrine 13 for 2024

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GLENDALE – (Staff report from Official News Release) – The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced the 13 inductees in the Class of 2024 to be celebrated during this year’s Enshrinement festivities to be held on August 16-17. The Class Announcement was made at a press conference conducted at the site of the 2024 NCAA Men’s Final Four,

Without a shadow of doubt, the accomplishments of the 2024 class stand as a testament to unparalleled excellence,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. “From showcasing unrivaled prowess on the courts and sidelines, spanning the high school, collegiate and professional ranks, to steering the course of basketball across an entire continent and to orchestrating a pair of dynasties, we are honored to pay tribute to these remarkable individuals alongside our esteemed award recipients.”

The Class of 2024 will be enshrined during festivities in Springfield, Massachusetts, the Birthplace of Basketball, as well as the Mohegan Sun Resort/Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut, on August 16-17.

North American Committee Inductees:

CHAUNCEY BILLUPS [Player] – Nicknamed “Mr. Big Shot” for his ability to deliver crucial plays in pivotal moments, Billups was a five-time NBA All-Star and the 2004 Finals MVP after leading the Detroit Pistons to their third NBA championship. During his 17-year career, Billups’ averaged 15.2 points and 5.4 assists per game, while his  89.4  free throw percentage is sixth best in NBA/ABA history. Billups was drafted third overall in 1997 by the Boston Celtics after earning Second Team All-American honors at Colorado. He is the current head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers.

VINCE CARTER [Player] – Renowned for his high-flying dunks, the former North Carolina standout was an eight-time All-Star in his 22 NBA seasons (1998-2020). Carter, who won the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest, was named the 1998-99 Rookie of the Year and is the only player in NBA history to play in four different decades. Carter averaged 16.7 points per game (21.3 as a starter) and also played a pivotal role in the success of the 2000 Sydney Olympics, clinching a gold medal with the U.S. Men’s Basketball Team. He currently holds the single-season franchise scoring record for the New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets and Toronto Raptors.

MICHAEL COOPER [Player] – Cooper was named to eight NBA All-Defensive Teams, taking home First-Team accolades five times and winning Defensive Player of the Year honors in 1987. The former third-round draft pick (60th overall) out of the University of New Mexico spent his entire 12-year NBA career (1978-90) with the Los Angeles Lakers, winning five championships while routinely matching up with the opponent’s top shooter. Following his playing career, Cooper entered the coaching ranks and earned WNBA Coach of the Year accolades in 2000 with the Los Angeles Sparks before winning back-to-back WNBA titles in 2001-02.

WALTER DAVIS [Player] – The all-time leading scorer in Phoenix Suns’ history was a six-time All-Star (1978-81, ‘84, ‘87) during his 15-year NBA career with the Suns (1977-88), Denver Nuggets (1988-92) and Portland Trail Blazers (1991). Before Phoenix chose Davis with the fifth pick in the 1977 draft, the standout player from North Carolina won a gold medal in the 1976 Summer Olympics. He then averaged 24.2 points per game in his first NBA season and was named the 1978 Rookie of the Year. The late Davis had his No. 6 retired by the Suns, and in 2004, he was enshrined in the team’s Ring of Honor.

BO RYAN [Coach] – Ryan went 747-233 (.762) in 32 seasons as a collegiate head coach with the University of Wisconsin-Platteville (1984-89), University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (1999-2001) and University of Wisconsin (2001-15), including a 364-130 (.737) ledger in 14-plus seasons in Madison. Ryan, honored four times as the Big Ten Coach of the Year, led Wisconsin to unprecedented success, clinching four Big Ten regular-season titles, winning three Big Ten tournament championships, and making back-to-back Final Four appearances (2014-15). The four-time Division III champion (1991, ‘95, ‘98-99) was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017.

CHARLES SMITH [Coach] – Smith is Louisiana’s all-time winningest high school head coach, surpassing the previous mark of 1,071 in 2020. With nine state championships to his name, Smith’s coaching tenure at Peabody Magnet High School began in 1985 after starting as a math teacher in 1975. He guided the Warhorses to a pair of perfect seasons, going 41-0 in 2004 and 2010 and earning national top-five rankings. Smith, ESPN’s National Coach of the Year in 2010, was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 2019 and the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2021. In addition, Smith served as head coach at the McDonald’s All-American game in 2020.

Women’s Committee Inductee:

SEIMONE AUGUSTUS [Player] – Augustus, who was selected first overall in the 2006 WNBA Draft, was a four-time champion and eight-time All-Star during her 15-year WNBA career (2006-20). The cornerstone player for the Minnesota Lynx, where she spent 14 of her 15 seasons, averaged 15.4 points per game and was named the 2006 Rookie of the Year and 2011 Finals MVP. At LSU, Augustus led the Tigers to three straight Final Four appearances and won the Naismith College Player of the Year and Wooden Awards in back-to-back campaigns (2005-06).

Men’s Veteran Committee Inductee:

DICK BARNETT [Player] – Barnett first gained prominence at Tennessee A&I University, where he led the Tigers to three straight NAIA national championships (1957-59), the first historically black school to claim a men’s basketball title. The “Skull” played 14 NBA seasons with the Syracuse Nationals (1959-61), Los Angeles Lakers (1962-65) and New York Knicks (1965-73), winning a pair of titles in the Big Apple (1970, ‘73) and making his lone All-Star team in 1968. The Knicks retired his No. 12, and the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame honored his 1957–59 Tigers squad in 2019.

Women’s Veteran Committee Inductee:

HARLEY REDIN [Coach] – Redin went 431-66 in 18 seasons leading Wayland Baptist’s women’s basketball program and captured six AAU National Championships. He coached the Flying Queens to two undefeated women’s seasons (1956, ‘57), 17 top-five finishes, and went 110-2 during his first four campaigns at Wayland Baptist. The late Redin also coached the Women’s U.S. National Team in 1959, the 1971 Pan-American Games, and the 1963 World Championship tournament in Peru. He was the recipient of the Jostens-Berenson Service Award by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association for his lifetime of service to women’s basketball in 1992, inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999, and honored with the Naismith Award for Outstanding Contribution to the game of women’s basketball in 2000.

International Committee Inductee:

MICHELE TIMMS [Player] – A trailblazer in Australian women’s basketball, Timms became one of the best point guards in the world, representing the Australian national team throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Timms won a pair of Olympic medals with the Opals, winning bronze in 1996 and silver in 2000, and was the first Australian, male or female, to play professional basketball internationally when she suited up for Lotus München in Germany. In addition, Timms spent five seasons with the Phoenix Mercury, guiding the team to a berth in the 1998 WNBA Finals and earning an All-Star selection in 1999. The Sport Australia Hall of Fame inducted her in 2003, the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008, and the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2016. The Mercury retired her No. 7 jersey in 2002.

Contributor Committee Inductees:

DOUG COLLINS – Collins’ versatile career in basketball is marked by significant achievements in roles ranging from player to coach to broadcaster, underscoring his wide-ranging impact on the sport. Following an NBA career where he was a four-time All-Star with the Philadelphia 76ers, he transitioned into coaching and accumulated over 400 wins with the Chicago Bulls (1986-89), Detroit Pistons (1995-98), Washington Wizards (2001-03) and 76ers (2010-13). Collins, who coached Hall of Famer Michael Jordan in both Chicago and Washington, also served as an analyst for various NBA-related broadcasts for CBS, NBC, TNT, TBS, and ABC/ESPN, along with working for NBC Sports at the Summer Olympics.

HERB SIMON – Simon, the longest-tenured governor in the history of the NBA, purchased the Indiana Pacers, along with his late brother Mel, back in 1983. Under Simon’s stewardship, the Pacers won numerous Central Division titles and made the franchise’s first NBA Finals in 2000. Throughout his ownership period, the Pacers have been home to legendary players like Jermaine O’Neal, Rik Smits, and Reggie Miller (Class of 2012). Beyond ownership, Simon’s influence extends deeply into the heart of the Pacers’ organization, shaping its identity and impact both on and off the court through his philanthropic endeavors and civic engagement.

JERRY WEST – Previously enshrined as a player and as a member of the 1960 U.S. Olympic Team, West also established himself off the court as one of the most successful executives in pro basketball history. West played a pivotal role as the architect of a pair of Los Angeles Lakers’ dynasties during the 1980s and 2000s, drafting key players like Magic Johnson and James Worthy, acquiring Kobe Bryant, signing free agent Shaquille O’Neal, and hiring head coach Phil Jackson. He totaled eight NBA championships in Los Angeles (1980, ‘82, ‘85, ‘87-88, 2000-02) and was named Executive of the Year twice (1995, 2004). Following his time in the Lakers’ front office (1979-2000), West served as GM of the Memphis Grizzlies from 2002-07 before earning two additional NBA championships as an executive with the Golden State Warriors (2015, ‘17). West is the first member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame to be inducted as both a player and a contributor.

Hawks Sink Celtics, 123-122

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ATLANTA – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Hawks scoring machine Dejounte Murray scored a career-high 44 points, including the game-winning basket with 0.1 seconds remaining in overtime, to give  Atlanta a 123-122 win over the visiting Boston Celtics on Thursday.

The Celtics took a 122-121 lead with 6.2 seconds left on Jaylen Brown’s jumper. After a timeout, the Hawks got the ball to Murray, who drove to the top of the key and shot the winning jumper over Jrue Holiday.

The win gives the Hawks a four-game winning streak and two wins over the league-leading Celtics this week. The win pulled Atlanta to within one game of No. 9 Chicago in the race for the NBA’s play-in tournament.

Murray took a career-high 44 shots, making 18, and had seven rebounds and seven assists in almost 47 minutes.

Atlanta (34-39) also got 24 points from Bogdan Bogdanovic and 21 points and 13 rebounds from De’Andre Hunter. Clint Capela added 12 points and 13 rebounds.

Boston (57-16) was led by Tatum with 31 points, 13 rebounds and six assists. Derrick White added 22 points and seven rebounds, Kristaps Porzingis scored 20 and Brown added 18.

The win gave Atlanta a split in the four-game season series with Boston.

The Hawks tied the game at 112-112 with 27.2 seconds remaining in regulation on a 3-pointer by Bogdan Bogdanovic. Boston had a chance to win, but Tatum’s long 3-pointer missed.

Unlike Monday’s game, when Boston had a 30-point lead in the first half, the rematch was close. There were 12 lead changes and six ties in the high-energy half, which Boston led 63-59 at intermission. Boston shot 12 free throws in the first half, making 11, while Atlanta missed its only free throw.

Neither team led by more than five points in the third quarter and the margin was no larger than three over the final 7 1/2 minutes and Boston led 90-89 entering the fourth quarter.

The Hawks conclude their five-game homestand on Saturday against Milwaukee. The Celtics make the fifth stop of their six-game road trip on Saturday at New Orleans.

–Field Level Media

Celtics Look to Avenge Loss

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ATLANTA – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Boston Celtics will get a chance to avenge their embarrassing Monday meltdown against the Hawks when the teams meet for the second time this week.

The host Hawks overcame a 30-point deficit and ended Boston’s nine-game winning streak with a 120-118 victory. It was the biggest comeback in Hawks history and the largest comeback in the NBA this season.

“We let our foot off the gas in the second half and they got a great rhythm,” Celtics star Jayson Tatum said. “It’s a tough pill to swallow.”

Boston’s Kristaps Porzingis added, “You give (hope) to that type of team, you relax too much and give them some open looks, those guys can make shots. They’re an offensive-minded team and they got it going and then it’s a tough battle to kind of bring it back to what we wanted. We just gave them too much life.”

Boston leads the season series 2-1, having won the first two games in Boston, 113-103 on Nov. 26 and 125-117 on Feb. 7.

The Celtics remained in Atlanta between games for the two-game series. But in a scheduling quirk, the Hawks hosted — and beat — the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday.

“It’s weird playing (Boston) on a back-to-back, but there’s no excuses in this league,” Atlanta’s Garrison Mathews said. “We’ve got to come ready to play. We know they’re going to try to get us back and we have to come ready to play.”

Atlanta (33-39) has won three in a row after its 120-106 win over Portland and remains 10th in the Eastern Conference standings. The Hawks were unable to pick up ground Wednesday on the ninth-place Chicago Bulls, who won to remain 1 1/2 games ahead, but also did not lose ground to the 11th-place Brooklyn Nets, who also won and trail Atlanta by 5 1/2 games.

The Hawks continue to ride the offense of Dejounte Murray. He scored 30 points against the Blazers and has put up 28-plus in three of his past four games.

Atlanta, playing without three starters and a key reserve, is getting contributions from different backups each night. Mathews scored a season-high 21 points against Portland. Vit Krejci matched his career high with 16 points vs. Boston.

“This team has been unselfish,” Atlanta coach Quin Snyder said.

Boston (57-15) has clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, owns the best road record in the league (25-12), has the best offensive rating in the NBA (122.5) and ranks second in defensive rating (110.7). Last season, the Celtics became the third team in NBA history to finish in the top three in both offensive and defensive rating.

The Celtics logged their 17th 70-point first half of the season on Monday, a franchise record that matches the NBA record for a single season.

The Hawks announced Wednesday that All-Star Trae Young has made a positive recovery in his recovery from surgery to repair a ligament in the little finger of his left hand. Young has missed 16 games since being hurt in the Feb. 23 game against Toronto. The team has not provided a timetable for his return to play.

The Atlanta lineup also remains without Jalen Johnson (right ankle sprain), Saddiq Bey (torn left ACL) and key reserve Onyeka Okongwu (sprained left toe).

–Field Level Media

Sports Biz: Caps, Wizards to Stay in DC

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WASH DC – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – After exploring the possibility of relocation to Virginia, the Wizards and Capitals will be staying in Washington until 2050.

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Washington mayor Muriel E. Bowser and Ted Leonsis, who owns both franchises, signed a deal on Wednesday that would keep the Wizards and Capitals in town as long as the D.C. Council approves it.

Per the deal, the city will put $515 million into Capital One Arena — the home of both the Wizards and Capitals — over the next three years. Because of those renovations, Leonsis will sign a new lease that runs from 2025-50.

“We are the current home and the future home of the Washington Capitals and Washington Wizards,” Bowser said. “As Ted likes to say, we’re going to be together for a long time.”

Leonsis’ company, Monumental Sports & Entertainment, will also have the ability to expand throughout the city under the new deal.

Just three months ago, Leonsis had a handshake agreement with Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) in place for the construction of a new arena in Alexandria, Va. It would have been built in the Potomac Yard neighborhood of town as part of a $2.2 billion mixed-use development.

But Bowser and the DC Council then made moves that caught Leonsis’ eye, including the passage of a new crime bill and a plan to make downtown more vibrant, causing the owner to switch gears.

“It’s a great day, and I’m really relieved,” Leonsis said Wednesday. “This was not only the right thing for the community, the right thing for the city, the right thing for us, it’s a really smart business deal.”

–Field Level Media

Celtics Blow 30-Point Lead, Lose to ATL

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ATLANTA – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Atlanta’s Dejounte Murray scored 19 points, dished 15 assists and made the go-ahead basket with one minute left to help the Hawks overcome a 30-point deficit and stun the visiting Boston Celtics 120-118 on Monday.

De’Andre Hunter followed with a 3-pointer to up Atlanta’s lead to four points with 10 seconds remaining. Jayson Tatum scored on a tip-in with one second left for Boston, but Atlanta was able to inbound the ball after a timeout to run out the clock.

It was only the ninth time in NBA history that a team has come back from a 30-point deficit to win a game, according to the Hawks’ radio network.

Boston (57-15) saw its nine-game winning streak end and failed in a chance to clinch the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Atlanta (32-39) improved to 1-2 against the Celtics this season and ended a six-game losing streak vs. Boston. The teams will meet again in Atlanta on Thursday.

The Celtics led 68-38 in the second quarter, but Atlanta went on an 18-6 run to cut the lead to 74-56 at halftime. The momentum carried over and the Hawks twice got as close as three points in the third quarter before Boston led 96-90 going into the fourth.

Atlanta took the lead for the first time on a 3-pointer by Wesley Matthews with 9:58 left.

Hunter led the Hawks with 24 points, and Bogdan Bogdanovic contributed 22. Vit Krejci matched his career high with 16 points, hitting four 3-pointers.

Boston got 37 points and eight rebounds from Tatum, 24 points from Jaylen Brown and 17 points from Kristaps Porzingis. Payton Pritchard finished with 15 points and six assists.

The Hawks were playing without three starters — Trae Young (finger), Jalen Johnson (ankle) and Saddiq Bey (knee) — and backup center Onyeka Okongwu (toe).

The Celtics jumped out quickly against the short-handed Hawks. Boston shot 66.7 percent (16-for-24) in the first quarter, didn’t commit a turnover and led 44-22. It was the most points Atlanta has allowed in a first quarter this season.

–Field Level Media

Celtics Can Clinch East #1 vs ATL

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ATLANTA – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Boston Celtics, winners of nine straight, could clinch the No. 1 spot in the Eastern Conference on Monday when they open a two-game series in Atlanta.

Boston (57-14) needs one victory — or a Milwaukee Bucks loss — to mathematically nail down first place for the playoffs. Another win would give the team its most victories since the 2008-09 team went 62-20.

“We’re just hungry for more,” Boston’s Sam Hauser said after Saturday’s 124-113 win over the Chicago Bulls. “It’s not in our character to just mail it in for the rest of the season.”

Boston continues to have the best record in the league, despite tip-toeing around injuries. Jaylen Brown (right ankle load management) did not play Saturday. Jayson Tatum (right ankle), Al Horford (left big toe sprain) and Kristaps Porzingis (right hamstring) have each been in and out of the lineup.

“Different people, different guys, are ready to step up when their number is called,” Horford said. “We all understand what we’re trying to do, how we’re trying to play. Guys are just staying ready and taking advantage of the opportunities.”

The Celtics won the first two games this season against Atlanta — 113-103 on Nov. 26 and 125-117 on Feb. 7, both played in Boston. The Celtics have a seven-game winning streak against the Hawks and have won the past two games played in Atlanta.

Atlanta (31-39) is currently No. 10 in the Eastern Conference. The Hawks are 5 1/2 games ahead of the Brooklyn Nets and only 2 1/2 games behind the No. 9 Bulls. But if Atlanta aspires to catch Chicago, it needs to overcome a difficult schedule. The Hawks play four home games over the next six days, with two against Boston and single games against the Portland Trail Blazers and the Bucks.

“We’re not going to take it for granted,” said Atlanta reserve Bruno Fernando, who scored a career-high 25 points and had six rebounds on Saturday in a 132-91 home win over the Charlotte Hornets.

“Every game is a special day so we’re going to try to take advantage of games that we can win, especially take advantage of our home floor. … We’ve seen it happen before with other people, so why not?”

Fernando’s effort was the latest in a series of nice games for the physical power forward. He has earned more minutes in the absence of Onyeka Okongwu, who missed 13 games with a toe injury and was held out of Saturday’s game for load management.

“It means a lot,” Fernando said. “Long time coming for me. This team is special to me. I’ve been through a lot here with this organization, so for me to be able to come in and have a game like that means a lot to me.”

The Hawks continue to be consumed by injuries. Starters Trae Young, Jalen Johnson and Saddiq Bey all missed Saturday’s game. The team has not said when it expects Young to return; he has missed 14 games.

“We miss Trae, but when you have a point guard like (Dejounte Murray), it makes the offense go,” said Atlanta reserve Garrison Mathews, who scored a season-high 20 points against Charlotte.

Murray has scored 29 and 28 points in his past two games. He was 7-of-9 shooting on 3-pointers against Charlotte and had 12 assists with seven rebounds.

–Field Level Media

Celtics: Nine in a Row

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CHICAGO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston’s Sam Hauser made seven of his eight 3-point attempts and scored 23 points to help the visiting Celtics stretch their winning streak to nine games with a 124-113 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night.

Jayson Tatum added 26 points and six assists for the Celtics, who have used eight different starting lineups during their nine-game winning streak. Al Horford finished the game with 23 points and eight rebounds for Boston (57-14), which has won six in a row on the road.

Chicago trailed by six, 113-107, with 4:35 to play, but Boston extended its lead to 10 points on a Tatum basket with 3:04 left. The Bulls never got within striking distance after that.

Chicago’s DeMar DeRozan had a game-high 28 points, nine assists and six rebounds in the loss. Alex Caruso, Ayo Dosunmu and Nikola Vucevic each added 14 points for Chicago (34-37). Coby White had 11 points and 10 assists.

The Bulls shot 57.3 percent from the field (47 of 82).

Luke Kornet collected a game-high 13 rebounds for Boston, which played without three starters: Jaylen Brown (ankle injury), Jrue Holiday (AC Joint sprain) and Kristaps Porzingis (right hamstring). The Celtics made 21 of their 48 3-point attempts.

Although the Bulls shot 59.1 percent from the field in the first half (26 of 44), they trailed 66-60 at halftime. It was 31-31 after one quarter, and the Celtics led 66-55 with 1:10 remaining in the half before Chicago scored the final five points of the second quarter. Hauser made four 3-pointers in the first half.

The Bulls took the lead for the first time in the second half on a Dosunmu basket that capped an 11-3 spurt and put Chicago in front 77-76 with 6:44 remaining in the third quarter, but the Celtics had a 95-92 advantage entering the fourth.

Boston has won each of its three games against Chicago this season.

–Field Level Media

Celtics Roll Past Pistons

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DETROIT – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston’s Jaylen Brown poured in 33 points and the visiting Celtics extended their winning streak to eight games with a 129-102 win over the Detroit Pistons on Friday night.

Payton Pritchard had 20 points and nine assists for the Celtics (56-14), who are closing in on clinching the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Derrick White had 19 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds and Kristaps Porzingis also tossed in 19 points.

Sam Hauser added 14 points. Boston’s leading scorer and rebounder, Jayson Tatum, sat out due to a right ankle injury.

This was the Celtics’ second romp over the Pistons in five nights. They also recorded a 119-94 home win on Monday, another game that Tatum missed.

James Wiseman led the Pistons (12-58), who have lost five straight, with 24 points and nine rebounds. Jaden Ivey had 16 points and Cade Cunningham contributed 15 points, six rebounds and six assists.

The Pistons ruled three players out for the season (Ausar Thompson (blood cut), Isaiah Stewart (hamstring) and Stanley Umude (right ankle fracture) in recent days and starting center Jalen Duren was a late scratch due to back spasms.

Wiseman, Duren’s replacement in the starting lineup, had 12 points and five rebounds in the first quarter as the Pistons took a 34-32 lead.

The Pistons had a 46-45 lead with eight minutes left in the half. Then they went scoreless for nearly five minutes while Boston went on a 10-0 run. Brown scored the last two of those baskets.

The Celtics also finished the half with a 9-2 spurt for a 69-53 lead. Pritchard had a 3-pointer and an assist during that span and finished the half with 16 points and seven assists.

Pritchard’s layup nearly two minutes into the second half extended Boston’s advantage to 76-55. Porzingis’ putback about midway through the third quarter made it 90-64.

Boston led 104-83 at the end of the third. The Pistons had a 6-0 spurt early in the fourth to cut their deficit to 15. White then knocked down a 3-pointer off a Pritchard feed.

Detroit never got closer than 18 again.

–Field Level Media