The summary
The defense still is slumping, but the Bulls rediscovered their offensive magic in a big way Friday night at TD Garden. Derrick Rose posted his second double-double of the season with 29 points and 10 assists and Pau Gasol added his 22nd double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds as the Bulls downed the host Celtics 119-103. Jimmy Butler broke out of his mini-slump with 22 points and a career-high six steals.
Turning point
E’Twaun Moore sank two 3-pointers around a Butler basket in a 1 minute, 44 second stretch early in the fourth quarter. The latter Moore 3-pointer broke open a close game, and the Bulls never led by fewer than six again.
Tribune player of game
Rose. He sank five 3-pointers and now is 11-for-17 from that distance the last two games. He also had no turnovers in 33 minutes.
Big number
13. Joakim Noah’s ankle injury and Mike Dunleavy remaining out forced Tom Thibodeau to use his 13th different lineup. It featured Taj Gibson starting for Noah and Kirk Hinrich for Dunleavy.
Big number, redux
52. The Bulls shot 52 percent from 3-point range, connecting on 13-of-25. Moore and Aaron Brooks each added three.
The quote
“He doesn’t have to score, but he has to make sure that we’re playing with a good pace all the time. And I want him attacking the paint. When he attacks the paint, we’re a much different team. His playmaking and making the defense collapse is huge.” — Tom Thibodeau on Rose
Up next
Vs. Hawks, 7 p.m. Saturday.
— K.C. Johnson
