First impression: Celtics 106 , Bulls 80

December, 12, 2009
12/12/09
11:04
PM ET


Instant reaction following the Celtics' 106-80 triumph over the Bulls Saturday night at the United Center in Chicago:

How the game was won: Seven different Celtics finished in double figures, including 15 points for both Rasheed Wallace and Eddie House off the bench. Kevin Garnett (12 points, 10 rebounds) and Rajon Rondo (16 points, 14 assists) registered double-doubles for Boston.

Turning point: The Bulls were rallying from a double-digit deficit in the third quarter when Luol Deng fumbled the ball out of bounds on a fastbreak that should have cut the Celtics' lead to four. Instead, Ray Allen drilled a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession and Rondo added a bucket soon after to put the Celtics out front, 63-52, with 8:29 to go in the frame. Boston led by 20 (83-63) by the end of the third frame.

Stat of the game: The Bulls finished 30 of 92 from the floor overall, an absolutely dismal 32.6 percent.

Unsung hero: Celtics forward Shelden Williams quietly logged 21 quality minutes off the bench. With center Kendrick Perkins in foul trouble, Williams registered eight rebounds and two blocks, while adding four points.

What it means: The Celtics have now won 10 in a row and seven straight away from the Garden. For the second time this year, Boston annihilated the Bulls, absolutely running Chicago out of its own building Saturday. The Celtics can wrap up a perfect second leg of this total seven-game road trip (with one home game squeezed in between) on Monday in Memphis.

Chris Forsberg

Celtics reporter, ESPNBoston.com

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TEAM LEADERS

POINTS
Paul Pierce
PTS AST STL MIN
19.4 4.5 1.1 34.0
OTHER LEADERS
ReboundsK. Garnett 8.2
AssistsR. Rondo 11.7
StealsR. Rondo 1.8
BlocksJ. O'Neal 1.7