Deng scores 25 points as Bulls beat Celtics 96-83

[February 04, 2010]  BOSTON (AP) -- Luol Deng scored 25 points and the Chicago Bulls won their third straight game with a 96-83 victory over the Boston Celtics on Thursday night.

The Celtics, whose only lead was 2-0, trailed 86-80 after Paul Pierce hit a 3-pointer with 3:50 left. But the Bulls scored eight of the next nine points, six by Joakim Noah, to build the lead to 94-81.

Pierce scored 20 points and Rajon Rondo added 15 for the Celtics, playing their fourth game in five nights. The loss dropped them to 11-6 at home after they went 35-6 there in each of the past two seasons.

The Bulls won for only the second time in their last 12 road contests as they began a stretch of 10 of 12 games away from home.

Derrick Rose scored 17 points for the Bulls, while Noah had his 19th double-double of the season with 15 points and 11 rebounds.

The Celtics seemed sluggish in the final game of a grueling stretch and played without their two best big men. Kevin Garnett missed his eighth game with a hyper-extended right knee and Rasheed Wallace sat out his third straight with a sore left foot. Coach Doc Rivers said Wallace may return for Boston's next game Monday at home against Dallas, while there's an "outside chance" Garnett could play next Friday at home against Portland.

The Celtics were coming off a 111-87 win Wednesday night over New Jersey in which none of their starters played more than 30 minutes. But they got off to a slow start Thursday. They did threaten several times in the second half, coming as close as 75-71 with 8:06 left in the game on a layup by Kendrick Perkins.

Then the Bulls regained the momentum on consecutive baskets by Deng, Rose and Noah that gave them a 10-point lead.

Chicago's last there victories have all been by double figures, but Thursday's was the first against a good team. The Bulls beat Minnesota 110-96 on Saturday and Detroit 120-87 on Monday.

Deng scored 16 points in the first half to help the Bulls to a 47-39 lead at the break. Chicago's biggest lead of the game, 33-20, came on a 3-pointer by John Salmons early in the second quarter.

The Celtics scored the next nine points, cutting the lead to 33-29 midway through the period, but the Bulls regained control by scoring the next six.

NOTES: The Celtics hit only 15 of their 28 attempts from the free throw line (53.6 percent). ... The Bulls dominated the glass with a 50-39 rebounding edge. ... Noah had four of Chicago's 10 blocks.

[Associated Press; By HOWARD ULMAN]

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