Chicago Bulls fails to perform as Daniel Theis takes Celtics to victory

Daniel Theis scored a career-high 22 points and Boston opened the game with 17 consecutive points while rolling to an easy 133-77 victory over the host Chicago Bulls on Saturday night.

Jaylen Brown scored a team-best 23 points off the bench and Jayson Tatum made all four 3-point attempts while scoring 18 points as the Celtics won their season-best fifth straight contest. Terry Rozier added 15 points, Kyrie Irving and Semi Ojeleye each scored 13 and Marcus Morris tallied 12 for Boston.

Shaquille Harrison scored a career-best 20 points, Zach LaVine added 11 and Cameron Payne had 10 for the Bulls, who have lost eight of their last nine. The franchise-worst 56-point defeat occurred in Jim Boylen's third game as coach after replacing the fired Fred Hoiberg.

Boston was 22 of 43 from 3-point range as Brown, Ojeleye and Rozier each knocked down three. The Celtics shot 53.8 per cent overall.

Theis collected a season-best 10 rebounds to help Boston record a 54-37 rebounding edge. He had an increased role with Al Horford scratched due to a knee injury.

The Bulls shot 38.3 per cent and were 6 of 24 from 3-point range.

Chicago missed its first 11 field-goal attempts while the Celtics were scoring the first 17 points. Morris' dunk with 6:12 left capped the burst for Boston.

Jabari Parker's two free throws with 5:42 to play were the Bulls' first points and Robin Lopez's basket 36 seconds later was the team's first field goal.

The Celtics held a 20-point lead on Gordon Hayward's 3-point with 33.1 seconds left before settling for a 35-17 advantage.

Boston led 43-21 early in the second quarter after Rozier drained a 3-pointer with 9:47 left in the half. LaVine's 3-point play moved Chicago within 48-33 with 6:17 to play but Marcus Smart knocked down a 3-pointer with nine seconds left to give the Celtics a 64-43 halftime lead.

The assault continued in the third quarter as Boston pushed the lead over 30 for the time when Irving buried a 3-pointer to make it 83-51 with 5:41 left. The margin was 34 two-plus minutes later on Brown's basket and the Celtics closed the quarter with a 93-60 lead.

The lead topped 40 for the first time when Brown drained a 3-pointer to make it 109-67 with 8:19 remaining.

Brown also did the honours to push the lead over 50 when he connected on a 3-pointer to make it 125-73 with 3:12 to play.

Boston's biggest lead was 58 points.

(With inputs from agencies.)