Celtics make history with big win over Bulls

NEW YORK: Daniel Theis scored a career-high 22 points and Boston Celtics opened the game with 17 consecutive points while rolling to an easy 133-77 victory over hosts Chicago Bulls.

It was the Celtics’ largest margin of victory in franchise history.

Jaylen Brown scored a team-best 23 points off the bench and Jayson Tatum made all four three-point attempts while scoring 18 points as the Celtics won their season-best fifth straight contest.

Terry Rozier added 15 points, Kyrie Irving and Semi Ojeleye each scored 13 and Marcus Morris tallied 12 for Boston.

Shaquille Harrison scored a career-best 20 points, Zach LaVine added 11 and Cameron Payne had 10 for the Bulls, who have lost eight of their last nine.

The franchise-worst 56-point defeat occurred in Jim Boylen’s third game as coach after replacing the fired Fred Hoiberg.

Boston were 22 of 43 from threepoint range as Brown, Ojeleye and Rozier each knocked down three. The Celtics shot 53.8% overall. Rookie forward Luka Doncic authored a late-game comeback with an individual scoring surge, and Dallas extended their homecourt winning streak to nine games with a victory over Houston.

Doncic finished with 21 points and seven rebounds, scoring 11 consecutive points down the stretch after the Rockets secured their largest lead of the game at 102-94.

Doncic converted all three of his three-point attempts plus a driving lay-up during the outburst, his final trey providing the Mavericks the lead for good at 105-102 with 57.5 seconds remaining.

Rookie point guard Jalen Brunson, making his second career start in place of injured guard Dennis Smith Jr (wrist), added a late lay-up while producing 14 points, three assists and three steals.

LeBron James scored 20 points, and Josh Hart and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope each made four three-pointers as Los Angeles built a big lead early and cruised to a road victory over Memphis.

James finished with eight rebounds, nine assists and a thunderous third-period dunk that halted any hopes the Grizzlies might have had about making a big comeback.

The Lakers connected on 16 three-pointers.