Celtics Secure Tight Win Over Bulls, Leaving NBA Cup Fate Hanging in the Balance
The Boston Celtics fended off a determined Chicago Bulls squad on Friday, ultimately winning, 138-129. While the victory was crucial for their season-long goals, their pursuits in the NBA Cup remain uncertain.
Pritchard Catches Fire in Fourth, Lakers expel Bulls; Celtics All-Star Trio Leads the Way.
The Celtics leaned heavily on their star trio, with Jayson Tatum pouring in 35 points and grabbing 14 rebounds while shooting 12-for-18 from the field. Payton Pritchard fired in a season-high 29 points, and sparked the Celtics in the fourth quarter. Vucevic countered with a game-high 32 points and Taj Gibson had 19 points and 11 rebounds off the bench.
The Celtics rotations were decisively favored by head coach Joe Mazzulla, focusing heavily on the starters and seasoned they added.
The Celtics are now 16-3 on the season as they look toward a matchup
As Clutch Moments Turned the tide, Celtics Remain in NBA Cup Contention.
While their win over the Bulls moved them to 3-1 in NBA Cup play, the Celtics’ hoped for more was lost when the Hawks blew out the Cavaliers earlier in the evening. The Every other Eastern Conference
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# Celtics’ NBA Cup Hopes Still Alive Despite Bulls Win
Despite the Celtics’ 138-129 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Friday night, the team’s fate in the NBA Cup remained uncertain. Here are the key takeaways:
### Sixth Man Spectacular:
Pritchard caught fire in the fourth quarter. He scored 19 points in the final period alone, ultimately helping to secure the win. Pritchard finished with 29 points and seven rebounds, shooting 10-for-16 from the floor and an impressive 7-for-11 from beyond the arc.
### The Race for the Wild Card
The Hawks’ earlier win over the Cavaliers re-set the race for the wilder card in the Cup.
^^ The Celtics needed a Help from the Magic and Detroit Pistons
The Celtics already
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*The C’s enter this contest looking to win.
And this is likely the last charge for
Paul Seventh Man Parker
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What are the Celtics’ remaining opponents in the NBA Cup group stage?
## Interview with Celtics Analyst on NBA Cup Fate
**Host:** Welcome back to the show! We’re joined by Celtics Analyst, Alex Reed, to discuss the Celtics’ exciting win over the Bulls last night.
**Alex Reed:** Thanks for having me! It was a thrilling game, back and forth the whole way. The Celtics showed a lot of grit to pull out the win in the end.
**Host:** Absolutely! While the victory is undoubtedly a boost for their overall season, it seems their NBA Cup fate is still up in the air. Can you shed some light on that?
**Alex Reed:** It’s a tricky situation. While the win over the Bulls was important, the Celtics still face a tough road ahead in the NBA Cup. We saw earlier this week that they dropped a game to the Wizards [[1](https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-celtics/2024/11/22/nba-cup-celtics-wizards-jaylen-brown-jayson-tatum-highlights-takeaways/)]. That makes things a bit tighter in the standings.
**Host:** So, what does the Celtics need to do to secure a spot in the next round of the NBA Cup?
**Alex Reed:** They need to focus on winning their remaining Cup games. Every game from here on out is crucial. They’ll want to make sure they finish strong and give themselves the best possible chance for a good seeding in the knockout stage.
**Host:** Well, Alex Reed, thanks for breaking down this complicated situation for us. It sounds like the Celtics have their work cut out for them if they want to make a deep run in the NBA Cup.
**Alex Reed:** Definitely, it’s going to be an exciting finish to the group stage!
