Chicago, IL (SportsNetwork.com) - Joakim Noah scored 10 of his 19 points in
the fourth quarter as the Chicago Bulls pulled away late for a 94-80 victory
over the Boston Celtics at United Center.
Up by one entering the final frame, the Bulls outscored the Celtics by a 23-10
margin the rest of the way to complete a home-and-home sweep of the clubs.
Chicago posted a 107-102 win in Boston on Sunday.
The Bulls also received a game-high 22 points from Mike Dunleavy and 18 out of
Jimmy Butler in the triumph, which moved Chicago into a tie with Toronto for
third place in the Eastern Conference. Noah added 11 rebounds and Taj Gibson
notched a double-double as well, finishing with 14 points and 11 boards.
"I think we're playing pretty good basketball, but I think we can play
better," Noah said.
Jerryd Bayless, starting in place of Rajon Rondo, tallied 18 points in the
Celtics' 10th consecutive road loss. Brandon Bass also had 18 points to go
along with nine rebounds.
"We looked heavy-legged the whole second half," Celtics head coach Brad
Stevens said. "That's no excuse because they played last night, too."
Rondo was held out to rest his surgically repaired knee with Boston playing on
back-to-back nights.
Despite the absence of their star point guard, the Celtics owned a 63-60 lead
with 4 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter. However, a Dunleavy 3-pointer
ignited a 9-0 Chicago run and the Bulls never trailed thereafter.
The game was still tight entering the fourth quarter, however, after Phil
Pressey's three to end the third brought Boston within 71-70. The Bulls then
proceeded to embark on a 17-2 spurt over the next 5 1/2 minutes that all but
sealed the outcome.
Noah put up six points during the pivotal sequence, which Butler capped with a
long 2-pointer that put Chicago up by a comfortable 88-72 count.
Boston whittled an early eight-point deficit down to 25-24 at the end of one
quarter, then scored the first eight points of the second to forge ahead. The
Celtics owned a 46-37 lead after Bass' dunk off a Pressey steal with 4 1/2
minutes left in the half.
Chicago then reversed the momentum behind an 11-2 run in which Dunleavy had
five points, but went into the break down 50-48 after Bayless hit two foul
shots with 1.3 second left in the second quarter.
Game Notes
Boston guard Avery Bradley did not play in the second half after aggravating a
previous ankle injury ... The Bulls completed their first season sweep of the
Celtics since the 2006-07 campaign ... D.J. Augustin, who deposited a career-
best 33 points in Sunday's victory, had just four for Chicago but dished out
11 assists ... The Bulls went just 3-of-16 from 3-point range but scored 48
points in the paint compared to Boston's 30.