Pritchard’s 30-point night powers Celtics past Bulls

The Celtics built a commanding lead early and held off a Chicago push to win 125-111 on October 30. The victory opened NBA Cup play for both teams and extended Boston’s winning streak to four games. The teams had also met earlier in the week, when Boston won by 35 points.

Pritchard led Boston with 30 points, including 20 before halftime. Jayson Tatum added 26 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, while Paul George had 18 points and eight assists. Boston’s lead reached 32 points in the first half, and the Celtics scored 56 points in the paint.

Chicago struggled with turnovers again, giving the ball away 16 times, which led to 21 Boston points. The Bulls shot 38% from the field and 30% from three-point range. Rookie Caleb Wilson scored 23 points for Chicago, which has lost four consecutive games.

The Celtics’ strong start gave way to a less sharp third quarter, allowing Chicago to narrow the gap. But the Bulls could not sustain the rally, and Boston carried a 25-point advantage into the final period. Chicago visits Philadelphia on Monday, while Boston travels to Orlando on Sunday.