LOS ANGELES (AFP) — The Boston Celtics pushed their National Basketball Association winning streak to nine games with a 124-113 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday as the Houston Rockets won their eighth straight, 147-119 over Utah.
Sam Hauser made seven of the Celtics’ 21 three-pointers, missing just once from beyond the arc on the way to 23 points.
Al Horford also scored 23 while Jayson Tatum — back after sitting out a victory over the Pistons in Detroit on Friday — led the way with 26.
With Tatum back it was the turn of Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis to rest nagging injuries, but the Celtics didn’t miss a beat.
Horford drilled five three-pointers and the Celtics, who led 95-92 going into the fourth quarter relentlessly pulled away.
They took a 10-point lead on Tatum’s finger roll layup with just over three minutes remaining and a Hauser three-pointer pushed the lead to 13 with 1:29 to play.
DeMar DeRozan led all scorers with 28 points, but the Bulls dropped their second straight.
“Playing teams like Chicago is a great test for the playoffs because of their ability to go on runs, their ability to impact the game on turnovers, points off turnovers, offensive rebounds, free throws,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. “They test you on the margins.”
Mazzulla said Boston’s 12-3 advantage in offensive rebounds and their ability to limit the Bulls to 11 free-throw attempts was a “recipe for success.”
