Celtics Cruise Past Bulls 124-105 as Losing Streak Hits Six

Payton Pritchard scored 26 points on 11-of-18 shooting and dished eight assists off the bench while Nikola Vučević posted 19 points and 11 rebounds against his former team as the Boston Celtics routed the Chicago Bulls 124-105 on Wednesday night at TD Garden. Jaylen Brown added 24 points and Derrick White contributed nine points, nine assists, two steals, and two blocks for Boston, which shot 52% from the field and dominated the glass with a 48-34 rebounding advantage. The Celtics improved to 35-19 on the season despite playing without injured star Jayson Tatum.

Chicago dropped to 24-31 with its sixth consecutive loss as the overhauled squad continued to struggle in its fourth game together since the deadline shakeup. Rob Dillingham led the Bulls with 16 points and seven assists off the bench in a career-high 30 minutes, while Collin Sexton and Matas Buzelis each scored 15 points. Head coach Billy Donovan shook up his starting lineup, inserting Sexton and benching Jaden Ivey, but it did little to stem the bleeding as Boston built a 72-44 halftime lead and cruised to the finish.

Celtics Bury Bulls With Devastating First Half

The game was competitive for exactly seven minutes. Chicago traded leads with Boston early in the first quarter behind a pair of three-pointers from Buzelis, briefly holding a 23-22 advantage after a Patrick Williams three with 3:35 remaining in the period. But the Celtics responded by closing the quarter on a 14-4 run, fueled by Vučević and Pritchard, to take a 36-27 lead into the second. From there, things fell apart completely. The Bulls managed just 17 points on 7-of-23 shooting in a disastrous second quarter while Boston poured in 36, building the lead to a staggering 28 points by halftime at 72-44.

The second half was little more than a formality. Boston's lead ballooned to as many as 33 points, and while both teams played to a 26-26 draw in the third and the Bulls actually outscored the Celtics 35-26 in the fourth, the damage was long done. Boston's balanced attack was the story, as seven Celtics scored in double figures led by Pritchard's 26. Jordan Walsh chipped in 16 points, six rebounds, and two blocks off the bench, while Sam Hauser knocked down four three-pointers for 12 points. The Celtics shot 40% from beyond the arc (18-of-45) compared to Chicago's 33% (12-of-36) and dominated in second-chance points (17-12) and points off turnovers (18-10).

Dillingham Emerges as Bright Spot in Otherwise Bleak Night

Donovan's decision to shake up the starting lineup—moving Ivey to the bench in favor of Sexton alongside Simons—was the headline entering the game, but it did nothing to change the outcome. Anfernee Simons had his worst outing in a Bulls uniform, finishing with just seven points on 3-of-9 shooting and 1-of-6 from three in 28 minutes, the fewest of any starter. Derrick White's hounding defense made life difficult for Simons all night. Sexton was more productive with 15 points on 6-of-13 shooting as a starter, but managed just one assist while committing three turnovers.

The brightest spot for Chicago was Dillingham, who played a career-high 30 minutes and responded with 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting, seven assists, and three steals. The young guard showed flashes of his dynamic ball-handling and slashing ability, crafting several impressive assists off the bounce and getting to the rim with regularity. Buzelis added 15 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and two blocks in 29 minutes, while Williams turned in an active two-way effort with 12 points, six assists, and three steals. The Bulls continue to play without Josh Giddey and Tre Jones—both sidelined with hamstring injuries—along with Isaac Okoro (knee), Jalen Smith (calf), and Zach Collins (toe), leaving Donovan severely shorthanded as the team heads into the break.

Looking Ahead

Mercifully for the Bulls, the All-Star break arrives just in time. Chicago will get a much-needed week off before returning to action on Thursday, February 19 against the Toronto Raptors at the United Center at 7:00 p.m. CT. The break provides an opportunity for the retooled roster to regroup and build chemistry through practice, while also giving Giddey and Jones additional time to recover from their hamstring injuries—both could be in line to return after the break, which would provide a significant boost to Chicago's playmaking and backcourt depth.

At 24-31 and sitting 17 games behind division-leading Detroit in the Central Division, the Bulls' focus clearly shifts toward player development and evaluation for the remainder of the season. How Donovan manages the minutes and roles of Dillingham, Ivey, and Buzelis in the final 27 games will be as important as any win or loss. The Celtics, meanwhile, improved to 35-19 with the victory and hold the second seed in the Eastern Conference. Vučević looked right at home in Boston, posting a team-high plus-26 and finishing with 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting—including four three-pointers—along with 11 rebounds and two blocks in his first game against his former team. The 35-year-old center appears to be thriving in his new environment, a reminder of the talent Chicago dealt away in pursuit of its youth-oriented rebuild.