WhyTheyWon
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FINALOct 26TD Garden
Chicago Bulls logo
CHIChicago Bulls
99
Boston Celtics logo
BOSBoston Celtics
134Winner
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4Final
CHI2133212499
BOS33333929134

Game analysis: Chicago Bulls at Boston Celtics

How the Celtics Beat the Bulls

Boston's shooting from deep powered a wire-to-wire rout of Chicago. The Celtics built a 12-point advantage in the first quarter, absorbed a 12–0 Bulls run that cut the margin to four in the second, and still carried a 12-point lead into halftime. They broke the game open with a 39–21 third quarter, stretching the advantage to 30 entering the fourth. Payton Pritchard scored a team-high 28 points, while Jayson Tatum added 23 points, seven rebounds and six assists; Boston also overcame 25 turnovers and a 39–17 deficit in points off turnovers.

The biggest reason

3PT Shooting

BOS 48%vsCHI 27%

Also mattered

  • +16Points in the paint
  • +14Rebounds
  • +18Third-quarter separation

Game flow

When the lead changed

CHIBOS

BOS led the whole way, with a biggest lead of 40 points · no lead changes

-400+40Q1 11:09 · CHI 0–BOS 3Q1 10:56 · CHI 2–BOS 3Q1 10:11 · CHI 2–BOS 6Q1 9:45 · CHI 2–BOS 9Q1 9:34 · CHI 3–BOS 9Q1 9:34 · CHI 4–BOS 9Q1 9:13 · CHI 7–BOS 9Q1 9:13 · CHI 8–BOS 9Q1 8:54 · CHI 8–BOS 11Q1 8:35 · CHI 8–BOS 12Q1 8:35 · CHI 8–BOS 13Q1 8:14 · CHI 8–BOS 15Q1 6:55 · CHI 10–BOS 15Q1 5:43 · CHI 10–BOS 17Q1 5:24 · CHI 13–BOS 17Q1 4:41 · CHI 13–BOS 19Q1 4:09 · CHI 15–BOS 19Q1 3:33 · CHI 18–BOS 19Q1 2:40 · CHI 18–BOS 22Q1 2:26 · CHI 18–BOS 24Q1 1:35 · CHI 18–BOS 27Q1 1:15 · CHI 21–BOS 27Q1 59.8 · CHI 21–BOS 29Q1 37.3 · CHI 21–BOS 30Q1 37.3 · CHI 21–BOS 31Q1 0.0 · CHI 21–BOS 33Q2 11:45 · CHI 23–BOS 33Q2 11:45 · CHI 24–BOS 33Q2 11:16 · CHI 24–BOS 35Q2 11:04 · CHI 26–BOS 35Q2 10:49 · CHI 26–BOS 37Q2 10:31 · CHI 28–BOS 37Q2 10:22 · CHI 28–BOS 40Q2 9:46 · CHI 28–BOS 41Q2 9:12 · CHI 28–BOS 44Q2 8:59 · CHI 31–BOS 44Q2 8:38 · CHI 34–BOS 44Q2 8:14 · CHI 36–BOS 44Q2 6:49 · CHI 38–BOS 44Q2 6:23 · CHI 40–BOS 44Q2 6:05 · CHI 40–BOS 46Q2 5:49 · CHI 41–BOS 46Q2 5:29 · CHI 43–BOS 46Q2 5:06 · CHI 43–BOS 47Q2 4:43 · CHI 43–BOS 49Q2 4:40 · CHI 44–BOS 49Q2 4:22 · CHI 44–BOS 51Q2 3:59 · CHI 44–BOS 52Q2 3:27 · CHI 44–BOS 54Q2 2:47 · CHI 44–BOS 56Q2 2:33 · CHI 47–BOS 56Q2 1:45 · CHI 47–BOS 58Q2 1:28 · CHI 48–BOS 58Q2 1:28 · CHI 49–BOS 58Q2 1:11 · CHI 49–BOS 61Q2 1:05 · CHI 52–BOS 61Q2 32.1 · CHI 52–BOS 63Q2 14.4 · CHI 53–BOS 63Q2 14.4 · CHI 54–BOS 63Q2 1.6 · CHI 54–BOS 66Q3 11:41 · CHI 57–BOS 66Q3 10:54 · CHI 59–BOS 66Q3 9:46 · CHI 59–BOS 67Q3 9:27 · CHI 59–BOS 69Q3 8:35 · CHI 59–BOS 71Q3 8:10 · CHI 61–BOS 71Q3 7:55 · CHI 61–BOS 74Q3 7:45 · CHI 64–BOS 74Q3 6:41 · CHI 64–BOS 76Q3 6:04 · CHI 65–BOS 76Q3 6:04 · CHI 66–BOS 76Q3 5:53 · CHI 66–BOS 77Q3 5:53 · CHI 66–BOS 78Q3 5:39 · CHI 66–BOS 81Q3 5:25 · CHI 67–BOS 81Q3 5:25 · CHI 68–BOS 81Q3 5:12 · CHI 68–BOS 84Q3 4:51 · CHI 70–BOS 84Q3 4:28 · CHI 70–BOS 86Q3 4:07 · CHI 70–BOS 89Q3 3:22 · CHI 71–BOS 89Q3 3:15 · CHI 71–BOS 90Q3 2:52 · CHI 71–BOS 92Q3 2:30 · CHI 71–BOS 95Q3 2:10 · CHI 73–BOS 95Q3 1:48 · CHI 73–BOS 98Q3 1:22 · CHI 73–BOS 101Q3 43.6 · CHI 73–BOS 104Q3 38.9 · CHI 74–BOS 104Q3 38.9 · CHI 75–BOS 104Q3 2.8 · CHI 75–BOS 105Q4 10:41 · CHI 75–BOS 107Q4 10:07 · CHI 76–BOS 107Q4 10:07 · CHI 77–BOS 107Q4 9:42 · CHI 79–BOS 107Q4 9:00 · CHI 79–BOS 109Q4 8:51 · CHI 80–BOS 109Q4 8:36 · CHI 80–BOS 112Q4 8:25 · CHI 83–BOS 112Q4 7:44 · CHI 83–BOS 114Q4 7:22 · CHI 83–BOS 115Q4 7:22 · CHI 83–BOS 116Q4 6:56 · CHI 85–BOS 116Q4 6:25 · CHI 85–BOS 119Q4 6:03 · CHI 87–BOS 119Q4 5:48 · CHI 87–BOS 121Q4 5:48 · CHI 87–BOS 122Q4 5:22 · CHI 87–BOS 123Q4 4:53 · CHI 87–BOS 124Q4 4:28 · CHI 87–BOS 127Q4 4:07 · CHI 89–BOS 127Q4 3:30 · CHI 91–BOS 127Q4 3:16 · CHI 92–BOS 127Q4 2:42 · CHI 95–BOS 127Q4 2:15 · CHI 95–BOS 128Q4 2:15 · CHI 95–BOS 129Q4 1:40 · CHI 97–BOS 129Q4 1:13 · CHI 99–BOS 129Q4 1:02 · CHI 99–BOS 132Q4 41.2 · CHI 99–BOS 133Q4 41.2 · CHI 99–BOS 134Q4 0:00 · CHI 99–BOS 134Q1Q2Q3Q4

Quarter-by-quarter momentum

Quarter winners and scoring margin
  1. Q1
    Chicago Bulls logoCHI21
    Boston Celtics logoBOS33
    BOS won by 12
  2. Q2
    Chicago Bulls logoCHI33
    Boston Celtics logoBOS33
    Quarter tied
  3. Q3Biggest margin
    Chicago Bulls logoCHI21
    Boston Celtics logoBOS39
    BOS won by 18
  4. Q4
    Chicago Bulls logoCHI24
    Boston Celtics logoBOS29
    BOS won by 5

Game turning points

Moments identified from the scoring timeline
  1. Final lead changeQ1 · 11:09

    Boston Celtics went ahead and did not trail again.

    Chicago Bulls logoCHI 0BOS 3Boston Celtics logo

Momentum swings

Key runs

5 runs · 7+ unanswered points
  1. Q1 · 2:40–1:35
    Boston Celtics logoBoston Celtics8–0run

    CHI 18 – BOS 19CHI 18 – BOS 27

  2. Q2 · 8:59–6:23Largest run
    Chicago Bulls logoChicago Bulls12–0run

    CHI 28 – BOS 44CHI 40 – BOS 44

  3. Q3 · 1:48–43.6
    Boston Celtics logoBoston Celtics9–0run

    CHI 73 – BOS 95CHI 73 – BOS 104

  4. Q4 · 5:48–4:28
    Boston Celtics logoBoston Celtics8–0run

    CHI 87 – BOS 119CHI 87 – BOS 127

  5. Q4 · 4:07–2:42
    Chicago Bulls logoChicago Bulls8–0run

    CHI 87 – BOS 127CHI 95 – BOS 127

Players who shaped the game

Player impact

From the box score
Chicago Bulls logo

Chicago Bulls

CHI
  1. Leading scorerNorman Powell
    20PTS1REB2AST4STL0BLK
  2. Impact contributorCaleb Wilson
    17PTS5REB3AST1STL2BLK
  3. Impact contributorJosh Giddey
    11PTS1REB4AST1STL1BLK
Boston Celtics logo

Boston Celtics

BOS
  1. Leading scorerPayton Pritchard
    28PTS1REB4AST2STL0BLK
  2. Impact contributorJayson Tatum
    23PTS7REB6AST1STL0BLK
  3. Impact contributorDerrick White
    5PTS6REB4AST3STL1BLK

Team performance

Biggest advantages and setbacks

What the winner did best—and what it overcame

Advantages

  1. Three-point shootingWinner edge

    Boston Celtics had a 21 percentage points edge in three-point shooting.

    CHI 27%BOS 48%
  2. Total reboundsWinner edge

    Boston Celtics had a 14 edge in total rebounds.

    CHI 40BOS 54
  3. Field-goal shootingWinner edge

    Boston Celtics had a 10 percentage points edge in field-goal shooting.

    CHI 39%BOS 49%

Setbacks

  1. Points off turnoversOpponent edge

    Boston Celtics trailed in points off turnovers by 22.

    CHI 39BOS 17

The numbers behind the win

Evidence

5 signals

Three-point shooting

Boston's much stronger accuracy from deep created a major scoring advantage even as Chicago generated more offense from turnovers.

Chicago Bulls logoCHI27%
Boston Celtics logoBOS48%

Overall shooting

The Celtics converted their shots at a substantially higher rate overall.

Chicago Bulls logoCHI39%
Boston Celtics logoBOS49%

Paint scoring

Boston complemented its perimeter shooting with a clear scoring advantage inside.

Chicago Bulls logoCHI30
Boston Celtics logoBOS46

Rebounding

The Celtics also held a sizable advantage on the glass, strengthening their control of possessions.

Chicago Bulls logoCHI40
Boston Celtics logoBOS54

Third-quarter separation

Boston expanded a 12-point halftime advantage to 30 by the end of the third quarter.

Chicago Bulls logoCHI21
Boston Celtics logoBOS39

This game’s Winning DNA

How Boston Celtics got it done.

The winning formula behind this game.

Boston Celtics logo

Boston Celtics

3PT Shooting
55%
Rebounding
25%
Paint Dominance
20%

Editorial weights for this game — not fan-vote percentages or official NBA statistics.

Team Comparison

Chicago Bulls logoChicago Bulls99 PTSVSTD GardenBoston Celtics logoBoston Celtics134 PTS
33-84FG46-93
12-443PT21-44
21-31FT21-29
40REB54
20AST26
12STL14
5BLK4
25TO25

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