Simons scores 27 points, Pritchard adds 21 as Celtics cruise past Bulls 115-101

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Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown, left, drives to the basket against Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) drives to the basket against Boston Celtics forward Sam Hauser (30) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) — Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown, left, drives to the basket against Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

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6:53 PM on Monday, January 5

By KEN POWTAK

BOSTON (AP) — Anfernee Simons scored 27 points, Payton Pritchard had 21 and the Boston Celtics held the Chicago Bulls to 33 points in the opening half of a 115-101 victory on Monday night.

Neemias Queta added 13 points and 13 rebounds for Boston, which won its fourth straight game and for the eighth time in nine games.

Jaylen Brown was held to 14 points on 6-of-24 shooting, one game after tying his career-high with 50 points in a victory at the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday.

Matas Buzelis scored 26 to lead the Bulls, who were nearly held under 100 points in their second straight loss after falling at home against Charlotte on Saturday.

The Celtics led by 21 points at halftime and weren’t threatened by the cold-shooting Bulls until a modest charge in the closing five minutes. Chicago was missing leading leading scorer, Josh Giddey, (hamstring).

The Bulls cut it to 106-96 on Nikola Vucevic’s 3-pointer with 3:34 to play. Chicago didn’t reach the 100-point mark until just over a minute left.

Boston led by 17 at the end of one quarter and despite shooting only 32.7% late in the second quarter pushed its advantage to 49-27 on Brown’s short jumper in the lane.

Pritchard hit a fadeaway 3 at the buzzer, making it 54-33 at halftime.

The Bulls were threatening a team-record low points for a half (23, set against Miami on April 10, 1999) before Jevon Carter hit a pair of late 3s. Chicago missed 20 of its first 23 attempts from beyond the arc. Boston wasn’t much better, making only 5 of its first 19.

It was the fewest points the Celtics had allowed in a first half this season.

Up next

Bulls: At Detroit on Wednesday.

Celtics: Host Denver on Wednesday in the second of a four-game homestand.

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AP NBA: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NBA