The Boston Celtics hosted the Chicago Bulls at TD Garden on Friday night with the knowledge that they were facing a team expected to finish well below them in the standings — that was also the only ball club to have beaten them besides the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Revenge is a best served cold, and it was a chilling night for Boston from beyond the arc, with the team held to just 29.1% by Chicago. But even with that and the first 40-point game by a Bulls player since Michael Jordan came to Boston was not enough to beat the Celtics twice in a row for Chicago.
Let’s take a look at what Celtics and NBA Twitter had to say about Boston beating the Bulls while DeRozan went off for 46 points.
First quarter
Jayson Tatum slow to get up after taking a hard hit on the #Celtics first possession. He come up holding his left arm, but stays on the floor and seems okay.
— Abby Chin (@tvabby) November 4, 2022
Great move from Al Horford with the hesitation dribble before the drive.
He's off to a good start
— Josue Pavón (@Joe_Sway) November 4, 2022
Bulls getting hot from three. 4-for-5 from distance with five minutes left in the first.
— Jack Simone (@JackSimoneNBA) November 4, 2022
Tatum seems to have taken another step as a grifter.
— Tom Westerholm (@Tom_NBA) November 5, 2022
Someone should tell Grant that complaining to the official has never worked once ever
— Max Lederman (@Max_Lederman) November 5, 2022
Second quarter
Celtics bench has been very good at TD Garden so far this season.
— Brian Robb (@BrianTRobb) November 5, 2022
Nice defense by Hauser on Lavine
— John Zannis (@John_Zannis) November 5, 2022
Luke Kornet providing the #Celtics some much needed big minutes pic.twitter.com/nd8QcXhhpi
— Celtics on CLNS (@CelticsCLNS) November 5, 2022
The Cs need to be better at ignoring calls & just playing the game. The more attention you give a call, the more power the refs have over you. Shut up & gain their favor — work the system.
— Anna Horford (@AnnaHorford) November 5, 2022
Brogdon’s drive game is so big for The Cs … They were missing that last year
— Brian Barrett (@itsbrianbarrett) November 5, 2022
Luke Kornet has looked really good on both ends tonight.
— Jack Simone (@JackSimoneNBA) November 5, 2022
Brogdon might want to shoot sitting down more often the way it's going tonight
— Dr. Justin Quinn (@justinquinnn) November 5, 2022
Jayson Tatum was waiting for Jaylen to drive on that screen, screaming for him to take it & was rewarded with a trip to the FT-line.
Tatum's got 18 points, including 8/9 from the FT-line
— Josue Pavón (@Joe_Sway) November 5, 2022
Third quarter
Beautiful Eurostep by Tatum to get the and-1 there.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) November 5, 2022
Unsuccessful challenge by Billy Donovan
— Jack Simone (@JackSimoneNBA) November 5, 2022
Tatum to Smart for the touchdown in the presence of Bill Belichick
— Souichi Terada | 寺田惣一 (@SouichiTerada) November 5, 2022
Tatum hasn't shot it very well but he's already up to 14 free throws with 6:36 left in the third.
— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) November 5, 2022
Might be one of those nights where you take Marcus out to send a message about decision making
— Ryan Bernardoni (@dangercart) November 5, 2022
With his first points tonight against Chicago, Jaylen Brown passed Kevin Garnett to move into 4th on the TD Garden all-time scoring list.
Since the building opened in 1995, only Paul Pierce, Antoine Walker and Jayson Tatum have scored more here. pic.twitter.com/dd1JnHrcah
— Sean Grande (@SeanGrandePBP) November 5, 2022
I think if Grant keeps complaining to the refs eventually they'll come around on him.
— John Zannis (@John_Zannis) November 5, 2022
Fourth quarter
💲Hause Money💦
— First To The Floor☘️ (@First2TheFloor) November 5, 2022
The ease with which Malcolm Brogdon has gotten his shoulder into Caruso and held him off on drives suggests he is unnaturally strong https://t.co/TcYDU8iYFB
— Greg Brueck-Cassoli (@GregCassoli) November 5, 2022
Luke Kornet has definitely separated himself from the other Celtics backup bigs.
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) November 5, 2022
Jayson Tatum at 30-10-6. Love to see Tatum get busy on both ends of the floor. He's cookin' in this one. #BleedGreen
— Amina Smith (@aminajadeTV) November 5, 2022
Grant Williams JAM! pic.twitter.com/8Po3FofeRv
— Efrain Ramos (@BLKRZN) November 5, 2022
Unsuccessful challenge. Bulls get two free throws. Celtics down to one timeout.
— Brian Robb (@BrianTRobb) November 5, 2022
Derrick White with an assassin 3. #Celtics
— Adam Kaufman (@AdamMKaufman) November 5, 2022
What a play by Smart to get the Celtics another possession in crunch time! Flew in to keep the ball alive on the rebound amid three Bulls. Leads to a Tatum rebound and a FT.
— Marc D'Amico (@Marc_DAmico) November 5, 2022
Career-high 20th free throw attempt is good for Jayson Tatum (36-11-6 assists).
Celtics up 120-115 with 19.5 to play.
— Sean Grande (@SeanGrandePBP) November 5, 2022
Celtics improve to 5-3 on the year with 123-119 win over the Bulls. Jayson Tatum finishes with 36 points and a career-high 20 FTAs, C's close out game with Brogdon/White backcourt for first time.
— Brian Robb (@BrianTRobb) November 5, 2022