From Odyssey to oddity: Celtics don’t need overtime to beat Bulls 109-99 and reach 2d round

OT hold-down: Celtics top Bulls in regulation

BOSTON — After a record-setting seven overtimes in the first six games, the Celtics made an early night of it with a dominating stretch in the second.

That’s second quarter, not second OT.

Ray Allen followed his 51-point Game 6 performance with 23 on Saturday night, Paul Pierce added 20 and Boston spurted away from Chicago just before the half to finish the Bulls off 109-99 — a rare regulation victory in what might have been be the best first-round playoff series in NBA history.

The Celtics will play Orlando in the Eastern Conference semifinals starting Monday. The seventh-seeded Bulls return to Chicago knowing they took the defending NBA champions to the limit — and quite often beyond.

Ben Gordon scored 33 for Chicago.