Pritchard scores 30 as Celtics extend lead over Bulls to 35 points
Boston's Payton Pritchard led a dominant first half while Chicago committed 16 turnovers.
By Yuki Melnyk ·
Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard scored 30 points as his team defeated the Chicago Bulls 125-111 on Friday night. The victory marked the NBA Cup opener for both franchises and extended Boston's winning streak to four games.
Pritchard shot 9 of 17 from the field and finished with 20 points in the first half. Jayson Tatum added 26 points in 34 minutes, while Paul George contributed 18 points and eight assists for the Celtics.
Boston established a 32-point lead with 1 minute 52 seconds remaining in the second half. Chicago did not reduce the deficit until the fourth quarter, after Boston had removed its starting lineup from the floor.
The Celtics controlled the interior of the floor, scoring 56 points in the paint. The team also capitalized on Chicago's handling errors, converting 16 turnovers into 21 points.
Caleb Wilson led the Bulls with 23 points in the loss. Norman Powell finished with 16 points and Matas Buzelis added 14. Chicago shot 38% from the field and 30% from three-point range. The Bulls have now lost four consecutive games.
The teams met five days earlier on Monday, when Boston won by 35 points. Chicago travels to Philadelphia on Monday, while Boston visits Orlando on Sunday.
Source: Newsday
