NBA: Payton Pritchard, Celtics extend Bulls' woes with runaway win

Payton Pritchard came off the bench to score a game-high 26 points, while Nikola Vucevic added 19 points and 11 rebounds, leading the Boston Celtics to a 124-105 victory over the visiting Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night.

Vucevic, acquired by Boston last week in a trade that sent Anfernee Simons to Chicago, helped the Celtics dominate inside. Simons contributed seven points and five rebounds in the loss.

Pritchard also recorded eight assists and five rebounds, helping Boston shoot 51.6% from the field. Jaylen Brown added 24 points, while Jordan Walsh (16), Sam Hauser (12) and Baylor Scheierman (10) also scored in double figures.

For the Bulls, Rob Dillingham led the team with 16 points. Matas Buzelis added 15 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Collin Sexton scored 15, and Guerschon Yabusele finished with 13 points. Chicago was outrebounded 48-34 and extended its losing streak to six games, having lost nine of its last 10.

Josh Giddey, Chicago's leading scorer among players available all season (18.6 ppg), missed his eighth consecutive game with a left hamstring strain.

Boston started strong, closing the first quarter with a 14-4 run to lead 36-27. The Celtics dominated the second quarter, outscoring the Bulls 36-17 to take a 72-44 halftime lead. They shot 58.3% in the first half, including 10 of 19 from beyond the arc, and held a 28-13 rebounding advantage.

A Hauser 3-pointer extended Boston’s lead to 83-51 with 7:02 remaining in the third quarter, and the Celtics held a 33-point advantage early in the final quarter.

This win marked Boston’s second victory in three meetings against Chicago this season.

—Field Level Media/Reuters