BOSTON — Kristaps Porzingis made an impressive contribution to the Boston Celtics’ 122-100 win over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night, scoring a total of 34 points, with 26 of those points coming in the first half. Porzingis, who stands at 7 feet 2 inches tall, achieved a personal best this season by sinking eight 3-pointers out of 14 attempts and also secured 11 rebounds during his 33 minutes on the court. This performance was crucial for Boston as they sought to recover from a disappointing loss at home against the Rockets earlier in the week.
Alongside Porzingis, Jaylen Brown put forth a solid effort with 28 points, while Derrick White contributed 22 and Jayson Tatum added 16 points for a Celtics team that has had its share of ups and downs, currently sitting at 7-6 over their last 13 games.
On the Bulls’ side, Coby White returned to the lineup after missing four consecutive games due to an ankle injury and led his team with 16 points in 31 minutes. Unfortunately for Chicago, they have struggled lately, managing to win only one of their last nine games. The absence of Zach LaVine, who is the Bulls’ top scorer averaging 24 points per game, due to personal reasons, was certainly felt on the court.
A significant moment in the game occurred during the third quarter when Tatum hit two back-to-back 3-pointers just 15 seconds apart, which expanded Boston’s lead to 86-62, marking their largest advantage of the contest. Previously, the Bulls had secured a victory against the Celtics when they last visited TD Garden on December 19, with LaVine playing a pivotal role by putting up 36 points, though they subsequently suffered a 25-point defeat at home just two days later.
Observations from the game highlighted that Chicago noticeably missed LaVine’s scoring ability during critical stretches of play. In contrast, the Celtics demonstrated a strong focus from the beginning, eager to bounce back after their narrow loss against Houston, establishing a double-digit lead just over two minutes into the contest.
A key turning point in the game came when the Bulls narrowed Boston’s margin to just six points. The Celtics then exploded for a 13-0 run over nearly four minutes, with Brown scoring nine points during that stretch.
Statistically, Porzingis achieved his season high in 3-pointers during the game, hitting six of them in the first half alone.
Looking ahead, the Bulls will continue their three-game road trip with a match against Toronto on Friday. Meanwhile, the Celtics will face the New Orleans Pelicans the same night, marking the beginning of their own three-game journey on the road.
