The Boston Celtics handled the Chicago Bulls for three quarters, but had to hang on in the end to pull out a hard-fought 101-95 win at the United Center on Monday night. Two lobs from Rajon Rondo to Kevin Garnett helped seal the deal for the Celtics, who moved to 4-3 on the season.
The two teams, mainly known for their defense, engaged in a bit of a shootout early on. Boston led, 33-27, after the first quarter and extended their lead out to 58-46 at halftime. The Celtics shot a scorching 59.5 percent from the field in the half against the normally stout Bulls.
Boston held that 12-point lead heading into the fourth quarter, but Chicago's defense clamped down and forced a 10-0 run to get the Bulls back in the game. However, a lack of execution down the stretch, including several missed free throws, helped doom the Bulls.
Rondo played a masterful game for Boston, scoring 20 points, dishing out 10 assists and pulling down nine boards. Every single Celtics starter scored in double figures.
Luol Deng's double-double of 26 points and 11 rebounds led the Bulls, who dropped to 4-3 on the year. Joakim Noah also notched a double-double, scoring 17 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.
This story originally appeared on SBNation.com.