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Gasol, Bulls top Celtics in OT

Jan 4, 2015 - 6:31 AM Chicago, IL (SportsNetwork.com) - Pau Gasol had another solid all-around game with 29 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 109-104 overtime win over the Boston Celtics.

In Thursday's 106-10 win versus Denver, Gasol recorded 17 points, nine boards and a career-high nine blocks. As a team, Chicago tallied a franchise record 18 blocks.

On Saturday, the Bulls had nine blocks, but shot just 37 percent from the field, yet they managed to win for the ninth time in 10 games.

"I think we have room for improvement for sure," Gasol said. "We can step it up a little more. I think when we're locked in we can up the level of intensity and do some damage and win more comfortably."

Aaron Brooks provided 19 points and Derrick Rose scored 12, but was just 5- of-18 from the floor. Taj Gibson had 12 points and Nikola Mirotic scored 10 in the win.

Evan Turner scored 29 for Boston, which lost for the sixth time in seven games. Avery Bradley chipped in 17 points and Jared Sullinger scored 16 and had 16 rebounds in defeat.

"They gave themselves great opportunities by hitting the offensive boards," Turner said of the Bulls.

The Bulls never trailed in the extra period, but Bradley's layup had the visitors within two with 41.7 seconds left. Rose then countered with a layup on the ensuing possession.

Turner and Rose traded free throws to keep it a four-point contest with eight seconds to go. Turner then threw a cross-court inbounds pass that was too high for Green, who stepped out of bounds to seal the outcome.

Sullinger's bucket forced overtime. Green lost the ball on the dribble when he was defended again by Gibson. Green got the ball back, but missed a layup hard off the backboard. Sullinger was on the other side of the bucket for the put- back with 2.6 seconds left.

Out of a timeout, the Bulls then swung the ball to a wide open Brooks, but his 3-point shot from the left corner clanked off the heel of the rim to conclude regulation.

Chicago shot 6-of-27 in the opening quarter and trailed 23-17 after 12 minutes. The Bulls missed all nine of their 3-point tries in the period.

The hosts concluded the second with a 9-2 spurt to grab a 46-40 lead at the half.

Turner had 13 points in the third quarter, when the Celtics went back on top with a 25-7 run. Gasol's 3-pointer extended Chicago's lead to 52-42, but then came Boston's surge. Tyler Zeller's hook shot finished the flurry with 3:29 remaining in the period.

The game was tied at 69 going to the fourth, and neither team led by more than five in the final quarter.

Game Notes

Celtics guard Jameer Nelson missed the game due to a sore ankle ... The Bulls hold a 2-1 lead in the season series. The teams will meet for a final time Jan. 16 in Boston. The Celtics have not won a season series against the Bulls since 2008-09 (2-1) ... Chicago has won eight of its last nine home games.