The Boston Celtics hosted the Chicago Bulls at TD Garden in their third game of the season Monday night. After dropping their first game, Boston has found it’s groove at home. The Celtics were paced early by Jayson Tatum who had 23 points in 27 minutes, but it was Payton Pritchard who broke the game open in the third quarter with a scoring outburst, he finished the night with 28 points, highlighted by seven triples. Boston roll at home with a 35-point win, 134-99.
Boston started the game with its
regular lineup of Jordan Walsh, Derrick White, Jayson Tatum, Paul George, and Mitchell Robinson. For the Bulls, they started Josh Giddey, Norman Powell, Caleb Wilson, Matas Buzelis, and Jalen Smith.
Jayson Tatum drove on rookie Caleb Wilson and kicked it out to Paul George, who drained a three-pointer from the 45 for the games’ first score. In his second home game, Paul George drained a second triple as the C’s went up 6-2 to start the game.
Derrick White hit a catch-and-shoot trey as Boston reeled off three straight scores from beyond the arc. Jalen Smith hit a tough three-pointer over Mitchell Robinson in the corner and was fouled on a foul point play.
Mitchell Robinson and Jayson Tatum were showing nice chemistry to start the game, with Mitchell Robinson the beneficiary of some nice passing as Tatum was creating plenty of plays for others early.
Rookie Caleb Wilson skied for a huge chase-down block on Paul George, showing plenty of explosiveness. Wilson followed that up, blocking Jayson Tatum; he had 2 blocks in the first 6 minutes of the game. Norman Powell laced a triple for Chicago; the Celtics’ early lead was shrinking, and they were up by just 4 points, 17-13, midway through the quarter.
Hugo Gonzalez checked into the game and immediately hit the scoreboard, with his first points of the season, as he ducked into the lane to score. Tatum stayed in the contest as Mazzulla rolled with Neemias Queta, Sam Hauser, Hugo Gonzalez, and Payton Pritchard for their first stint of the game.
Pritchard nailed a three-point step back, and Hugo ran the fast break to score another two-pointer as Boston stretched the lead, 24-18, with two minutes to go in the quarter.
Jasyon Tatum found his way into the Chicago key and sprayed a pass to the corner; Hugo swished home his first three-point attempt. Hugo finished the quarter with 7 points in just 5 minutes of action. Tatum had 8 points with 5 assists and 3 boards as he played the entire first quarter. Boston took a twelve-point lead into the second quarter, 33-21.
Baylor Scheierman got the nod to start the second quarter with Jayon Tatum finally getting a rest. Paul George and Mitchell Robinson were back in the game alongside Hauser and Pritchard to start the second. Sam Hauser scored 5 quick points, and Pritchard had 9 points in his first nine minutes for Boston as the bench was providing a scoring kick in the first half of the game.
Chicago was putting up plenty of three-point attempts to start the game, clearly a point of emphasis for new head coach Thiago Splitter. The Bulls outscored Boston to start the second quarter as things were getting sloppy for the home team with ten turnovers.
Jayson Tatum returned to the game to steady the C’s as Chicago cut the lead to just 6 points. Hugo Gonzalez found Neemias Queta for a loud alley-oop jam, the Spaniard peeling off a point and rolling with excellent court vision.
Jayson Tatum rose up for three-pointer over Jalen Smith for his fourteenth point of the game with just under a minute left in the half. Hugo Gonzalez had the defensive play of the first half, coming from behind on the taller Jalen Smith to block his two-handed dunk attempt.
Tatum laced a second three-pointer of the game as time expired in the first half, Boston up by 12 points, 66-54. JT had 19 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists in the first half, leading all scorers.
Boston were scoreless in the first 2 and a half minutes of the second half, Mitchell Robinson the unlikely scorer, breaking the drought from the foul line splitting a pair. Payton Pritchard and Paul George scored back-to-back buckets for Boston on a pair of jumpers. The C’s would need to find play making outlet as Jayson Tatum drew his fourth foul and had to take an early seat on the bench.
Boston ratcheted up the pressure midway through the third quarter, with a full court trap, Jordan Walsh stole the ball to find Payton Pritchard, who was wide open on a three-pointer, his fifteenth point on the night.
The Celtics stay ready crew alongside Paul George were getting stops down one end and making buckets down the other. Boston extending the home lead to 19 points with Jayson Tatum on the bench.
In a wild stretch for Boston, they broke the game wide open. First, Sammy Hauser splashed a triple from the TD Garden logo, Payton Pritchard matched him with a pair of deep threes of his own, the C’s were rolling in the third quarter, up big time, 101-73.
Mike Conley got his first minutes for Boston to start the fourth quarter. The veteran journeyman would get an extended run with the bench unit to help finish things off. Conley would be joined by Luka Garza, Ron Harper Jr., Scheierman and Hugo Gonzalez as Joe Mazzulla was clearly mindful of tomorrow night’s game against the Brooklyn Nets. No player would log greater than 27 minutes in this game for the home squad.
Gino Time was in effect at the Garden at the four-minute mark, Chris Cenac Jr. checked into the game and scored his first points in the NBA with a three-pointer.
The Brooklyn Nets visit the Garden to take on the Boston Celtics tomorrow night, tip-off is 7:30 pm EST.
