Inside The Celtics

The Top 5 Plays from Monday's Celtics-Bulls Game

Several fourth-quarter possessions that helped Boston seal the win headline the top five plays from Monday's Celtics-Bulls game.

Bobby Krivitsky

David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
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Derrick White denying Ayo Dosunmu at the rim, Al Horford's clutch three, and Jayson Tatum providing the exclamation point on Boston's win headline the top-five plays from Monday's Celtics-Bulls game.

Al Horford Throws the Lob; Robert Williams Takes Care of the Rest

DeRozan sees Brown get by Ayo Dosunmu and stays in the paint. He thinks he's passed Al Horford off to Nikola Vucevic, but the latter's also watching the ball and has a general understanding Robert Williams lurks behind him.

With the defense collapsed, Brown kicks the ball out to Horford in the right corner. DeRozan bites enough on his pump fake for Horford to get by him and reach the edge of the paint, drawing Vucevic toward him. By the time Dosunmu rotates to the Timelord, it's too late, and Williams throws down a one-handed slam for Boston's first points.

Jaylen Brown Crosses His Way to the Cup

On the Coby White miss, with Luke Kornet lifted, the Celtics have two bodies on Andre Drummond, plus Malcolm Brogdon's on standby.

Jaylen Brown secures the rebound, no one picks him up until the three-point line, and he uses that momentum to attack downhill, hesitates to change pace, then snaps a crossover dribble to get by Patrick Williams.

Brown then plows his way into the paint, and with Drummond not sprinting back and Kornet sealing DeMar DeRozan out of bounds, well below the basket, Brown gets to the cylinder for a layup.

Derrick White Denies Dosunmu at the Rim, Leading to a Grant Williams Flush

It's a well-designed sideline out of bounds by Chicago, and Alex Caruso delivers a perfect pass to Dosunmu. Brown has to stay tight to Zach LaVine, and Horford steps toward Vucevic after he screens for Dosunmu.

If Boston switches on that, Horford might pick off the inbounds pass or at least get in a better position to challenge Dosunmu at the basket, but Derrick White recovers and denies Dosunmu at the rim.

The Celtics don't generate a numbers advantage, but three defenders hover around Jayson Tatum as he comes off a pair of Horford screens. Caruso, who's coming from the edge of the paint, has to sprint into the passing lane, an unfortunate reality for him as Horford fakes the swing pass, then dishes to a cutting Grant Williams for a baseline flush.

Al Horford Helps Boston Finish the Job

With the Celtics clinging to a two-point lead and less than 30 seconds left, the Bulls, in need of a stop, double Tatum, forcing the ball out of his hands.

While Chicago might not change its approach if given a mulligan, Tatum calmly delivers a bounce pass to Horford for an open three from the right corner, which rattles home, helping the hosts reach the winner's circle.

Jayson Tatum Puts the Exclamation Mark on Boston's Victory

With the Bull trailing by five with the shot clock off, LaVine quickly gets to a side-step fadeaway three that draws iron. As the rock ricochet's further away from Tatum, he runs the floor while Coby White pursues the ball.

Tatum throws up his hand like Randy Moss on a go route, Derrick White throws the ball ahead, and the former provides the exclamation mark, finishing through contact, then letting out a celebratory scream as the TD Garden crowd erupts.

Further Reading

Here's What Stood Out in the Celtics' Win vs. Bulls: Boston Clamps Down Defensively to Overcome Cold Shooting

Marcus Smart's Absence Makes Monday's Celtics-Bulls Game as Good a Time as Any to Start Robert Williams

The Latest on Marcus Smart, Who Exited the Celtics-Spurs Game Due to a Knee Injury

The Top 5 Plays from Saturday's Celtics-Spurs Game

Here's What Stood Out in the Celtics' Win vs. Spurs: Boston Never Trails but Has to Fend Off San Antonio in Game That Goes Down to the Wire

[Film Room] How the Celtics Limited Luka Doncic's Impact as a Scorer and Facilitator

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Bobby Krivitsky
BOBBY KRIVITSKY

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.

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