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Bulls, Pacers Lose Big Wednesday

>>Blazers Down Bulls

 

CJ McCollum had 24 points and the Portland Trail Blazers pulled away in the final quarter to send the Chicago Bulls to their fifth straight loss, 124-112 on Wednesday night.

 

Jusuf Nurkic had 18 points and eight rebounds but got into foul trouble and came up just short of his fifth straight game with 20 or more points. Portland has won three straight and five of its last six games.

 

Damian Lillard finished with 16 points and 10 assists for his fifth double-double of the season.

Wendell Carter Jr. had 22 points to lead the Bulls in the first of a five-game road trip.

 

After a tight first half, the Blazers led by as many as 11 points in the third quarter but the Bulls kept the margin from getting any wider until Meyers Leonard's dunk put Portland up 106-94 with just under eight minutes left in the game.

 

A pair of consecutive 3-pointers from McCollum and Seth Curry put the Blazers up 112-96 and Portland went on to lead by as many as 19 points down the remaining stretch.

 

Bulls coach Jim Boylen said before the game that Bobby Portis would be on a 24-minute restriction. Portis returned Sunday from a sprained right ankle that kept him out of seven straight games. He finished with 15 points in 19 minutes against the Blazers.

 

The Bulls visit Golden State on Friday night.

 

>>Celtics Throttle Pacers

 

The Boston Celtics continued to share the offensive load, and the results showed again in a 135-113 rout of the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night for their fourth straight win.

 

Kyrie Irving had 12 points in 24 minutes before getting to rest the entire fourth quarter.

The Celtics had 32 assists - their fifth straight game with 30 or more - and put together their highest scoring game this season.

 

Marcus Morris had 22 points and eight rebounds, Jaylen Brown also scored 22 points and Jayson Tatum had 20 for the Celtics, who have won five of six.

 

Gordon Hayward had 14 points, Daniel Theis added 12 points and six rebounds off the bench, and Terry Rozier had 12 points and five assists.

 

Domantas Sabonis had 20 points and seven rebounds for the Pacers (27-14), who had won seven of eight. Thaddeus Young had 10 points and eight rebounds, and Victor Oladipo scored 17 points.

 

Boston led 68-53 at halftime after shooting 56.5 percent (26 for 46) in the first half.

 

Indiana used a 10-2 run early in the third and cut the margin to 79-67 on Sabonis' hook shot with 5:31 left in the period, but Boston took off again and topped 100 points before the quarter was over.

 

Theis converted a three-point play to start the Celtics on a 12-3 run, and Boston closed out the period with another surge, getting back-to-back 3-pointers by Rozier for a 100-74 lead with 1:27 left.

 

Tyreke Evans scored 15 points and Kyle O'Quinn had 11.

 

The Pacers are at New York on Friday night.

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