BOSTON -- — Zach LaVine scored a season-high 36 points and the Chicago Bulls used a fourth-quarter flurry to hold off the Boston Celtics 117-108 on Thursday night in the opener of a home-and-home set.

The teams will meet again in Chicago on Saturday night.

Ayo Dosunmu added 17 points and Nikola Vucevic had 16 points and 14 rebounds to help Chicago win its season-best third straight.

Chicago outscored Boston 35-22 in the fourth quarter and made 19 3-pointers for the game.

Jayson Tatum had 31 points to lead Boston, which lost for just the fourth time at home this season. Kristaps Porzingis added 20 points and eight rebounds.

Chicago’s big fourth quarter included technical fouls on coach Joe Mazzulla, Jaylen Brown and Tatum that left Boston scrambling for the rest of the game.

Mazzulla’s frustrations continued after the game when he had to be restrained by two assistant coaches from confronting the officials.

Takeaways

Bulls: One of Chicago’s best efforts this season came without Josh Giddey, who missed his first game this season because of a sprained ankle.

Celtics: A frustrating night for Boston, which got rattled and forced up some 3s late.

Key moment

Chicago opened the final period with a 17-4 run to take a 99-90 lead. Boston scored six straight before back-to-back technical fouls were called on Mazzulla and Brown after both protested a non-foul call on Brown. LaVine connected on both ensuing free throws and then hit a 31-footer to put Chicago back in front 104-96. Later in the period, Tatum picked up a technical as well, that helped extend the Bulls’ lead to 10.

Key stat

The Celtics made 14 3-pointers to end the Bulls’ three-game streak of holding opponents under 10.

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Play By Play

Recent plays and game events

TIME	PLAY
12:00	Nikola Vucevic vs. Kristaps Porzingis (Derrick White gains possession)	0	0
11:46	Kristaps Porzingis misses 26-foot three point jumper	0	0
11:44	Nikola Vucevic defensive rebound	0	0
11:32	Patrick Williams makes 28-foot three point jumper (Nikola Vucevic assists)	0	3
11:21	Jaylen Brown makes 6-foot driving floating jump shot	2	3
11:01	Patrick Williams misses 8-foot two point shot	2	3
11:00	Jayson Tatum defensive rebound	2	3
10:54	Jaylen Brown misses running pullup jump shot	2	3
10:53	Derrick White offensive rebound	2	3
10:46	Jayson Tatum makes driving layup	4	3
10:34	Kristaps Porzingis blocks Patrick Williams 's 6-foot layup	4	3
10:33	Derrick White defensive rebound	4	3
10:25	Jrue Holiday misses 17-foot step back jumpshot	4	3
10:24	Jaylen Brown offensive rebound	4	3
10:24	Jaylen Brown misses tip shot	4	3
10:22	Coby White defensive rebound	4	3
10:12	Ayo Dosunmu misses two point shot	4	3
10:11	Jayson Tatum defensive rebound	4	3
10:00	Jrue Holiday misses 25-foot three point pullup jump shot	4	3
9:58	Bulls defensive team rebound	4	3
9:34	Zach LaVine misses 22-foot pullup jump shot	4	3
9:33	Derrick White defensive rebound	4	3
9:25	Derrick White misses 28-foot three point jumper	4	3
9:23	Nikola Vucevic defensive rebound	4	3
9:18	Patrick Williams misses 25-foot three point shot	4	3
9:17	Celtics defensive team rebound	4	3
8:57	Derrick White misses 25-foot three point jumper	4	3
8:55	Patrick Williams defensive rebound	4	3
8:49	Coby White misses two point shot	4	3
8:48	Coby White offensive rebound	4	3
8:43	Nikola Vucevic makes 7-foot two point shot (Coby White assists)	4	5
8:32	Jayson Tatum misses 12-foot pullup jump shot	4	5
8:31	Nikola Vucevic defensive rebound	4	5
8:10	Jrue Holiday blocks Ayo Dosunmu 's 8-foot driving layup	4	5
8:09	Kristaps Porzingis defensive rebound	4	5
8:01	Jaylen Brown makes driving layup (Derrick White assists)	6	5
7:59	Bulls Full timeout	6	5
7:59	Lonzo Ball enters the game for Coby White	6	5
7:38	Lonzo Ball misses 28-foot three point jumper	6	5
7:35	Bulls offensive team rebound	6	5
7:29	Kristaps Porzingis kicked ball violation	6	5
7:29	Matas Buzelis enters the game for Patrick Williams	6	5
7:22	Zach LaVine makes driving dunk	6	7
7:06	Jayson Tatum makes 26-foot three point step back jumpshot	9	7
6:51	Zach LaVine makes 25-foot three pointer	9	10
6:35	Jayson Tatum misses 26-foot three point step back jumpshot	9	10
6:33	Matas Buzelis defensive rebound	9	10
6:24	Matas Buzelis misses layup	9	10
6:23	Jayson Tatum defensive rebound	9	10
6:17	Derrick White makes two point shot	11	10
5:56	Ayo Dosunmu makes 27-foot three point jumper (Zach LaVine assists)	11	13
5:43	Kristaps Porzingis misses 23-foot three point jumper	11	13
5:42	Matas Buzelis defensive rebound	11	13
5:24	Lonzo Ball offensive charge	11	13
5:24	Lonzo Ball turnover	11	13
5:24	Payton Pritchard enters the game for Jrue Holiday	11	13
5:24	Al Horford enters the game for Jaylen Brown	11	13
5:24	Talen Horton-Tucker enters the game for Ayo Dosunmu	11	13
5:15	Derrick White misses 25-foot three point pullup jump shot	11	13
5:14	Nikola Vucevic defensive rebound	11	13
4:53	Lonzo Ball misses 26-foot jump bank shot	11	13
4:51	Nikola Vucevic offensive rebound	11	13
4:48	Nikola Vucevic offensive foul	11	13
4:48	Nikola Vucevic turnover	11	13
4:35	Jayson Tatum misses 25-foot three point jumper	11	13
4:33	Kristaps Porzingis offensive rebound	11	13
4:28	Jayson Tatum misses driving layup	11	13
4:27	Talen Horton-Tucker defensive rebound	11	13
4:19	Jayson Tatum personal foul	11	13
4:13	Talen Horton-Tucker misses 19-foot pullup jump shot	11	13
4:12	Payton Pritchard defensive rebound	11	13
4:07	Zach LaVine personal foul	11	13
4:05	Payton Pritchard makes 27-foot three point jumper (Jayson Tatum assists)	14	13
3:52	Lonzo Ball misses 26-foot three point jumper	14	13
3:51	Kristaps Porzingis defensive rebound	14	13
3:42	Payton Pritchard misses 25-foot three point step back jumpshot	14	13
3:41	Matas Buzelis defensive rebound	14	13
3:32	Zach LaVine makes driving layup	14	15
3:22	Derrick White misses 26-foot three point pullup jump shot	14	15
3:21	Nikola Vucevic defensive rebound	14	15
3:15	Zach LaVine misses running pullup jump shot	14	15
3:14	Derrick White defensive rebound	14	15
3:14	Celtics Full timeout	14	15
3:14	Jaden Springer enters the game for Kristaps Porzingis	14	15
3:14	Coby White enters the game for Lonzo Ball	14	15
3:14	Jalen Smith enters the game for Zach LaVine	14	15
3:14	Ayo Dosunmu enters the game for Nikola Vucevic	14	15
3:06	Jayson Tatum misses 19-foot jumper	14	15
3:03	Al Horford offensive rebound	14	15
2:54	Al Horford misses 9-foot two point shot	14	15
2:52	Jalen Smith defensive rebound	14	15
2:35	Talen Horton-Tucker makes driving layup (Matas Buzelis assists)	14	17
2:25	Jayson Tatum makes 26-foot three pointer (Derrick White assists)	17	17
2:06	Matas Buzelis misses 25-foot three point jumper	17	17
2:04	Jaden Springer defensive rebound	17	17
1:53	Jayson Tatum misses 23-foot three point jumper	17	17
1:52	Jalen Smith defensive rebound	17	17
1:45	Ayo Dosunmu traveling	17	17
1:45	Jrue Holiday enters the game for Derrick White	17	17
1:45	Ayo Dosunmu misses two point shot	17	17
1:45	Bulls offensive team rebound	17	17
1:29	Jayson Tatum makes driving layup	19	17
1:12	Ayo Dosunmu makes driving layup	19	19
1:12	Al Horford defensive goaltending violation	19	19
57.1	Al Horford misses 27-foot three point jumper	19	19
56.1	Payton Pritchard offensive rebound	19	19
54.0	Payton Pritchard makes two point shot	21	19
48.0	Patrick Williams enters the game for Matas Buzelis	21	19
38.1	Jalen Smith bad pass (Payton Pritchard steals)	21	19
29.1	Talen Horton-Tucker shooting foul	21	19
29.1	Jayson Tatum makes free throw 1 of 2	22	19
29.1	Jayson Tatum makes free throw 2 of 2	23	19
20.0	Coby White makes driving layup	23	21
3.2	Jrue Holiday makes driving layup	25	21
1.0	Al Horford blocks Patrick Williams 's 31-foot three point pullup jump shot	25	21
0.0	Bulls offensive team rebound	25	21
0.0	End of the 1st Quarter	25	21

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Game Information

Time, Location & Referees

Venue

TD Garden

Boston, MA

Date & Time

12:30 AM, December 20, 2024

Coverage

NBA League Pass, NBC Sports BO, CHSN

Attendance

19,156

Referees

Tony Brothers, Justin Van Duyne, Intae Hwang

2025-26 Central Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
Detroit	44	14	.759	W2
Cleveland	37	24	.607	L2
Milwaukee	26	32	.448	L1
Chicago	24	36	.400	L11
Indiana	15	45	.250	L5

2025-26 Atlantic Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
Boston	39	20	.661	W1
New York	38	22	.633	W1
Toronto	35	25	.583	W1
Philadelphia	33	26	.559	W3
Brooklyn	15	44	.254	L7

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Zach LaVine scores season-high 36 points to help the Bulls hold off the Celtics 117-108

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