CHICAGO — Forward Pau Gasol scored 29 points with 16 rebounds, and the Chicago Bulls held on for a 109-104 win in overtime against the Boston Celtics on Saturday night.
Guard Aaron Brooks added 19 points for the Bulls (24-10), who won for the ninth time in the past 10 games. Guard Derrick Rose scored 12 points, including a driving layup with 24.4 seconds remaining in overtime to increase Chicago’s lead to four points.
Forward Evan Turner scored a season-high 29 points to lead the Celtics, who fell to 3-10 on the road. Guard Avery Bradley added 17 points for Boston (11-20), and forward Jared Sullinger scored 16 points with 16 rebounds.
Sullinger put back a layup with 2.6 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to even the score at 99-99. The Bulls had a chance to win the game in regulation at the buzzer, but guard Brooks’ 3-point attempt from the corner clanked off the back rim.
After Boston fell behind by 10 points early in the second half, Turner took control. The Chicago native scored 13 points in the third quarter to spark a 25-7 run that made it 67-59, but the Bulls responded with a 10-2 run to even the score at 69-69 entering the fourth quarter.
The Bulls led 46-40 at halftime thanks to an early double-double by Gasol, who had 11 points and 12 rebounds at the break. Chicago finished the second quarter on a 7-0 run that began with a 3-pointer by Rose and ended with a layup by forward Taj Gibson.
Boston built a 23-17 lead at the end of the first quarter behind six points from Bradley, who drove to the rim for a pair of layups against Rose. The Bulls missed eight of their first nine shots and finished the quarter shooting 22.2 percent (6 of 27).
Sloppy ballhandling tested the patience of Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau and Celtics coach Brad Stevens. Both teams combined for 21 turnovers in the first half, including 12 for Boston and nine for Chicago.
NOTES: Bulls G Jimmy Butler missed the game on bereavement leave. Butler, 25, has blossomed into the Chicago’s leading scorer this season with 21.9 points per game. … Celtics G Jameer Nelson did not play because of a sprained right ankle. “I guess it’s something he has been dealing with a little bit,” coach Brad Stevens said. … Bulls F Mike Dunleavy missed his first game of the season because of a sprained right ankle. Rookie F Nikola Mirotic started his first career game in Dunleavy’s place. … Celtics G Marcus Thornton missed his 10th consecutive game because of a left calf strain.