Celtics Bench Outplays Bulls in TD Garden Rout

Boston’s bench players dominated the second unit of the Chicago Bulls at TD Garden on Monday, helping the Celtics secure a 134-99 victory. Payton Pritchard, the team’s sixth man, led the effort with a season-high 28 points. He scored 19 of those points during the third quarter, hitting all five of his three-point attempts in that span.

The Celtics started the game with an early offensive surge, hitting five of their first seven shots. That sequence forced Bulls head coach Tiago Splitter to call a timeout. Jayson Tatum assisted on three of those early baskets, including two dunks by Mitchell Robinson. The Celtics held a 15-8 lead at the first stoppage. By the end of the first quarter, Boston had built a double-digit advantage after a 14-3 run.

Chicago trimmed the deficit to one point early in the second quarter after a stretch of Boston turnovers. Derrick White committed five fouls and turnovers before halftime, matching a total he had reached in only two full games last season. The Bulls tied the game at 46-43 before Boston responded with a 10-1 run of their own. Hugo Gonzalez played a key role in that comeback, recording a putback, a layup, and a corner three. He also facilitated a lob dunk for Neemias Queta and blocked Jalen Smith to set up a transition basket for Tatum.

Tatum finished the half with 19 points, six rebounds, and five assists. He capped the first half with a three-pointer over Josh Giddey with 0.8 seconds remaining, giving the Celtics a 66-54 lead. The team forced 25 turnovers in the game, converting them into 39 points. They also limited the Bulls to a 39 percent shooting percentage.

In the third quarter, Tatum left the game after drawing his third and fourth fouls in quick succession. That move opened the door for Pritchard, George, and Hauser to extend the lead. Boston scored on five consecutive possessions late in the period, building a 30-point cushion. Pritchard finished the night 10-for-16 from the field and 7-for-10 from deep, adding four assists and two steals in 22 minutes.

Head coach Joe Mazzulla noted that Pritchard’s performance makes the team better. Mazzulla said, “I don’t really consider those heat checks for him just because he’s that good of an offensive player. When he does what he does tonight, it makes us even a better team.” Pritchard agreed, stating, “It just feels good to catch the rhythm again and just bounce back from the other night.”

The win marks the start of Boston’s first back-to-back of the season. The 2-1 Celtics will host the 0-3 Brooklyn Nets at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. It remains undecided whether Tatum, Paul George, or Mitchell Robinson will play against Brooklyn, as all three have recent injury histories. Mazzulla said the team balances the need for health with the contribution of the entire locker room.