NBA: Bulls pull away from Celtics in feisty fourth quarter

Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine (8) shoots a technical foul on the Boston Celtics in the second half of an NBA game at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images

Zach LaVine tossed in a game-high 36 points and Nikola Vucevic added 16 points and 14 rebounds to lead the visiting Chicago Bulls to a 117-108 victory over the Boston Celtics in the NBA on Thursday night.

Chicago outscored Boston 35-22 in the fourth quarter, when three technical fouls were called on the Celtics, who wanted a foul called on the Bulls during a loose-ball scramble.

The Bulls received 17 points and eight rebounds from Ayo Dosunmu and extended their winning streak to three games.

READ: Celtics, Bulls clash in important NBA Cup game for both

Jayson Tatum had 31 points and 10 rebounds for Boston. Kristaps Porzingis finished with 20 points and eight boards, and Derrick White had 16 points and eight rebounds. Boston was 14 of 56 (25 percent) from the 3-point arc.

Chicago’s Josh Giddey did not play because of an ankle injury. Giddey is averaging 11.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 6.9 assists in 27 games this season.

Although they missed 18 of their 24 3-point attempts in the first half, the Celtics led 25-21 after one quarter and 57-54 at halftime. LaVine scored 20 of his points in the half.

READ: NBA: Nikola Vucevic puts up 39 as Bulls dump Spurs

It was 80-80 following a Dosunmu 3-pointer with 1:03 remaining in the third, but the Celtics responded with 3-pointers by Payton Pritchard and Tatum to take an 86-80 lead. Boston led 86-82 entering the fourth.

Chicago went in front on Talen Horton-Tucker’s layup that made it 92-90 with 9:24 to play. It was part of a 12-0 run that gave the Bulls a 99-90 advantage with 7:41 left.

The Bulls had a 99-96 lead when Boston coach Joe Mazzulla and Brown each received a technical foul. LaVine made two free throws and then connected on a 3-pointer that put the Bulls in front 104-96 with 5:02 to go.

Another LaVine free throw following a technical foul on Tatum gave Chicago its first double-digit lead, 108-98, with 3:10 left, and Boston failed to get closer than eight points the rest of the way. –Field Level Media