Hinrich, Bulls down Celtics

03.11.2007

Boston, MA (Basketball News) - Kirk Hinrich notched 26 points and seven assists, as the Chicago Bulls downed the Boston Celtics, 94-78, at TD Banknorth Garden for the finale of a four-game road trip.

Ben Gordon scored 21 points for the Bulls, who finished 3-1 on their trip and are 13-20 on the road this season. Luol Deng scored 17 points, and Ben Wallace added 10 points and 14 rebounds.

Gerald Green scored 15 points for Boston, which split a four-game homestand and is 8-23 at home this season. Rajon Rondo notched 12 points, eight assists and seven boards, and Leon Powe added 11 points and seven boards.

Boston was missing starting guard Delonte West and reserve forward Ryan Gomes. West is recovering from a mild concussion suffered in the third quarter of the Celtics’ 111-80 loss to the Houston Rockets on Wednesday. Gomes sat out with a sore left foot.

Chicago gained an early advantage by scoring six straight points down the first-quarter stretch sparked by a Chris Duhon trey with 4:09 to go, and led 24-17 heading into the second.

After Gordon’s jumper 33 seconds into the second stanza, Boston got going on an 8-2 spurt finished by a pair of dunks by Powe and Rondo for a three-point deficit, 28-25, with 8:54 remaining.

Just as the Celtics acquired a 34-31 advantage on Allan Ray’s layup, Chicago regained control on a 9-0 run capped by a Hinrich jumper about five minutes later and led 48-41 at halftime.

Boston opened the second half on a 14-7 run and Green’s layup midway through the third knotted the score at 55. The Bulls regained a slight advantage down the stretch for a 66-63 lead heading into the fourth.

Chicago put the game away early in the final stanza on an 11-0 burst highlighted by three Deng field goals, for an 82-69 lead heading down the stretch

Game Notes

The game was the first of a home-and-home set. Chicago will host the Celtics on Tuesday night at the United Center...This was the second of three meetings between the clubs this season. On December 4th, Andres Nocioni had 20 points and seven rebounds to lead the Bulls over Boston, 100-82, at the United Center...Chicago has won four straight and five of its last six at Boston. The Bulls have captured seven in a row in the series.

BOS CHI

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