Bulls beat top-seeded Celtics to take 2-0 series lead
Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas (4) walks past the Chicago Bulls as they huddle during the second quarter of a first-round NBA playoff basketball game in Boston, Tuesday, April 18, 2017. AP
BOSTON— Jimmy Butler scored 22 points and Rajon Rondo finished one rebound shy of a triple-double as the Chicago Bulls beat the Boston Celtics 111-97 on Tuesday night (Wednesday, Manila) to take a 2-0 lead in their series against the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Butler added eight rebounds and eight assists. Rondo had 11 points and 14 assists on a night when all five Bulls starters reached double figures.
BACKSTORY: Bulls stun Celtics in Game 1; Thomas plays after sister’s death
Dwyane Wade had 22 points, including 16 in the second half, and Robin Lopez added 18 points and eight points.
The Bulls host Game 3 on Friday (Saturday, Manila).
After a better start by the Celtics, a familiar theme started to take hold as the Bulls took control by again dominating on the offensive glass. Chicago held a 43-38 rebounding edge for the game.
Isaiah Thomas scored 20 points for Boston.
BACKSTORY: Grieving Isaiah Thomas to play Game 2, then fly to funeral
Boston got within 91-82 early in the fourth before Chicago went on a 14-4 run to push its lead up to 19.
The Celtics did a much better job containing Bobby Portis in Game 2 after he hurt them with 19 points off the bench in Game 1. But Paul Zipser picked up the slack in Game 2, scoring 16 points in 29 minutes.
After getting thoroughly pushed around underneath in Game 1, the Celtics grabbed the first four rebounds of the night while scoring the game’s first seven points.
That changed quickly, though, as the Bulls responded with a 20-4 run. Boston’s early rebounding edge evaporated just as fast, with all five Bulls starters grabbing an offensive rebound in the first six minutes of action.
Chicago again used its big men to push the Celtics out of the paint and was quicker to the ball in a lot of 50-50 situations. The Bulls outscored the Celtics in the paint 32-20 for the half.
UP NEXT
The series shifts to Chicago Friday night for Game 3.
