For the second time in five days, the Celtics ran the Chicago Bulls out of TD Garden early. Payton Pritchard scored 30 points and Boston beat Chicago 125-111 Friday night in the NBA Cup opener for both teams, according to The Associated Press.
Jayson Tatum added 26 points in 34 minutes, and Paul George finished with 18 points and eight assists for Boston, which has won four straight.
A 44-point first quarter
Chicago led 9-6 in the opening minutes before the Celtics closed the quarter on a 38-16 run, according to Celtics.com. Boston’s 44 first-quarter points were a season high, and the lead reached 32 with 1:52 left in the first half. The Celtics took a 78-49 lead into halftime.
Chicago did not cut into the lead until the fourth quarter, after Boston’s starters had been pulled, the AP reported.
Pritchard does it again
Pritchard scored 20 points in the first half and went 9 of 17 from the field. He made all nine of his free throws, a career best according to Celtics.com, and added three rebounds, three assists and two steals off the bench.
It was another big night against the Bulls. On Monday, he scored 28 points in 22 minutes as Boston beat Chicago by 35.
“I like pushing him, I like coaching him, and I love him like a brother,” coach Joe Mazzulla said of Pritchard, according to Celtics.com.
Bulls keep turning it over
Rookie Caleb Wilson led Chicago with 23 points. Norman Powell scored 16 and Matas Buzelis added 14. The Bulls, who have lost four straight, shot 38% from the field (35 of 92) and 30% from 3-point range (15 of 50).
After 25 turnovers in Monday’s loss in Boston, Chicago turned it over 16 times Friday, leading to 21 Celtics points.
Notes
Derrick White recorded his 500th career steal in the second quarter. Boston’s bench outscored Chicago’s 59-40, and it was the first time since 2008 that both the Celtics and their opponent attempted at least 40 free throws, according to Celtics.com. Attendance was 19,156.
The Celtics (4-1) visit Orlando on Sunday. The Bulls visit Philadelphia on Monday.