SCORE: 125-111
The Boston Celtics have been mostly disappointing in NBA Cup action since the tournament was introduced for the 2023-24 season. This year’s run could be far more successful.
The C’s opened Group Play with a convincing victory over the Chicago Bulls on Friday night at TD Garden. It’s the Celtics’ second win over the Bulls this week — they also beat Chicago 134-99 this past Monday.
The Celtics led by 30 at one point in the first half, but the Bulls didn’t quit and outscored Boston 62-47 in the second half. Point differential is an important tiebreaker in the NBA Cup, so the fact that Boston won by 14 points could prove very helpful in a few weeks.
The Celtics’ next Group Play game is Nov. 6 at the Charlotte Hornets.
Payton Pritchard led the Celtics with 30 points in 34 minutes off the bench. He has scored 62 points in two games against the Bulls so far this season.
Jayson Tatum poured in 26 points, along with seven rebounds and seven assists. Paul George gave an excellent all-around performance with 18 points, eight assists, six rebounds and three steals.
Boston’s reserves outscored Chicago’s bench 59-40. The Celtics also earned a 58-40 advantage in points in the paint, forced 16 turnovers and tallied 28 assists.
Overall, the Celtics shot 51 percent (42-82) from the floor but just 31 percent (10-for-32) from 3-point range.
The Bulls shot 38 percent (35-for-93) from the floor and 30 percent (15-for-50) on 3-pointers. Rookie forward Caleb Wilson — the No. 4 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft — led the Bulls with 23 points and shot 6-for-11 from beyond the arc. He’s a really impressive player and likely will be a star someday.
The Celtics are on a four-game win streak since losing the season opener. They’ll be back in action Sunday against the Magic in Orlando. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Boston.
