Rapid Recap is designed for the busiest of Celtics fans. Whether you can’t stay awake to read 10 paragraphs or your hangover is just too much, Rapid Recap tells the timeline of the game in only a minute or two.
The Celtics beat the Bulls at Chicago, 119-103, in a game notable for Jayson Tatum’s return from COVID isolation, a career-high 11 assists for Marcus Smart, and a glimpse of the knockdown shooting Aaron Nesmith could bring to this squad.
Boston took the lead early and held off Chicago’s repeated comeback attempts all night. The Celtics won every quarter while shooting 50.6% from the field and 51.7% (15 of 29) from deep, with 28 assists.
Jaylen Brown scored 26 and Tatum 24, both of them shooting 10 of 21. Daniel Theis added 18 points, Tristan Thompson had a Rodman game (10 rebounds, 0 shots taken), and Nesmith was 3 of 5 from the arc. Zach LaVine led Chicago with 30, hitting a half-dozen triples.
Tatum returned after not playing for five games and 17 days. Kemba Walker sat out to rest his knee on the second night of a back-to-back.
Celtics at Bulls – United Center- Jan. 25, 2021 – Starting Lineups
Boston – Smart, Brown, Tatum, Thompson, Theis
Chicago – Coby White, Zach LaVine, Patrick Williams, Lauri Markannen, Daniel Gafford
OUT: Boston: Walker, Langford, Chicago: Carter Jr. pic.twitter.com/kv0JqPznbg
— Sean Grande (@SeanGrandePBP) January 26, 2021
Was Tatum rusty? Nope. Early minutes…
Tatum now has seven straight points, including a pull-up three.
— Mark Murphy (@Murf56) January 26, 2021
https://twitter.com/Jack_Aylmer/status/1353889955253284864?s=20
Jaylen continued his recent smoking-hot streak.
what a shot 🏀 pic.twitter.com/w4oXe90ZEJ
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) January 26, 2021
Oh man we're going to score so many points when everyone is available
— Ryan Bernardoni (@dangercart) January 26, 2021
Overall strong first quarter.
One of the best passes I've seen from Tatum: pic.twitter.com/ub40YRpfcH
— Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) January 26, 2021
#Celtics lead #Bulls 33-25 after 1Q Smart 10, Brown 9, Tatum 7; LaVine 8, Young 8.
— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) January 26, 2021
Second quarter, the rookie made an impact, drilling a pair of threes.
Nesmith breaks the zone with a 3. Wow. #Celtics
— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) January 26, 2021
https://twitter.com/efraincarmelo/status/1353898113052913666?s=20
That has to feel good for Nesmith. The guy can shoot it but his confidence has clearly been a little rattled.
— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) January 26, 2021
Aaron Nesmith has now made four 3-pointers in a row after starting his career 4-for-18 from deep.
— Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) January 26, 2021
Theis was nice, closing the half with a dunk and layup.
🔨 it home pic.twitter.com/67j3KKRuiB
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) January 26, 2021
Halftime: Celtics 60, Bulls 50
☘️ Smart: 13 PTS, 6 AST, 3 REB
☘️ Tatum: 11 PTS, 3 REB, 4 AST
☘️ Brown: 11 PTS, 3 REB
🐮 LaVine: 11 PTS, 5 TOV pic.twitter.com/dIncLPfUlu— Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) January 26, 2021
Kemba's out and Tatum and Jaylen are a combined 9 for 23 and the Celtics lead the Bulls by 10 at the half anyway.
— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) January 26, 2021
Zach LaVine, the league's eighth-leading scorer, has more turnovers (5) than field-goal makes (4) at halftime. So that's good.
— Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) January 26, 2021
Boston scored the first 7 points of the third quarter to go up 71-50.
21-7 Celtics run going back to end of first half.
— Brian Robb (@BrianTRobb) January 26, 2021
3️⃣6️⃣➡️0️⃣ pic.twitter.com/Wb3JdaYMe5
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) January 26, 2021
Theis on defense 🚫
Brown on offense 🏀 pic.twitter.com/WanJqXnYgE— Boston Celtics (@celtics) January 26, 2021
The lead reached 22 but…
15-5 Bulls run to cut lead back down to 12.
— Brian Robb (@BrianTRobb) January 26, 2021
Smart was having a game.
Marcus Smart is doing everything tonight
— John Karalis 🇬🇷 🇺🇦 (@John_Karalis) January 26, 2021
https://twitter.com/efraincarmelo/status/1353908569368899584?s=20
Put this on @smart_MS3's DPOY reel. pic.twitter.com/geqxEmEsPc
— Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) January 26, 2021
Still in control after three.
End of 3Q: Celtics 91, Bulls 76
☘️ Brown: 25 PTS, 4 REB, 2 STL
☘️ Theis: 17 PTS, 3 REB, 3 AST, 3 STL
☘️ Tatum: 16 PTS, 3 REB, 5 AST
☘️ Smart: 13 PTS, 10 AST, 4 REB
🐮 LaVine: 20 PTS, 6 TOV— Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) January 26, 2021
Celtics lead by 15 heading into the 4Q. Smart is one assist shy of tying his career high. Brown is pushing for another 30-pt game with 25 heading into the fourth. But Bulls haven’t allowed the C’s to pull away.
— Marc D'Amico (@Marc_DAmico) January 26, 2021
The Bulls scrapped to within 9 points early in the fourth. The Celts responded.
Back-to-back 3's from Green and Tatum extend #Celtics lead back to 15 with 8:21 left.
— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) January 26, 2021
Carsen hit a 4-point play!
CARSEN! AND-1!
Celtics Rewind is presented by @tmobile pic.twitter.com/Guk7QSjNlB
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) January 26, 2021
Once, again, Chicago came back to cut the lead to 10. But Grant Williams – who didn’t play until the fourth quarter – was clutch!
11-0 Bulls run stopped by a big Grant Williams 3.
— Brian Robb (@BrianTRobb) January 26, 2021
https://twitter.com/efraincarmelo/status/1353916869690929152?s=20
Grant also drilled a three and-one, the team’s second 4-point play of the night. And that was the ballgame.
FINAL: Celtics 119, Bulls 103
Smart logs a double-double with 13 points and a career-best 11 assists. Brown scores 26. Tatum scores 24 during his return. Theis scores 19. Thompson hauls in 10 boards. And basically every reserve contributed to the W.
— Marc D'Amico (@Marc_DAmico) January 26, 2021
☘️ Celtics 119 🎯 Bulls 103
🔙 Jayson Tatum: 24 PTS, 10-21 FG, 5 AST
🤓 Marcus Smart: 13 PTS, 10 AST, 5 REB
💪🏾 Jaylen Brown: 26 PTS, 10-21 FG, 5 REB
🚼 Rookie Aaron Nesmith: 3-5 3PT, 9 PTS
📈 2-game win streak for Celtics
🤷🏻♂️ Next up: Wednesday vs. Spurs (maybe)— Chris Forsberg (@ChrisForsberg_) January 26, 2021
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