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