BOSTON – Jalen Rose scored 20 points and Eddy Curry added 16 points and 14 rebounds Wednesday night as the Chicago Bulls defeated the Celtics 89-82 for their third road victory, matching their total from last season.

Chicago’s third straight road win improved the Bulls to 3-1 on the road. They finished 3-38 away from the home in 2002-03.

The Bulls never led by more than seven points in the second half until Jamal Crawford capped an 11-2 run with a jumper and a 3-pointer that gave the Bulls a 76-65 lead with 9:31 left.

The Celtics responded with a 13-4 spurt, and Mike James made his sixth 3-pointer of the night with 4:12 left to pull Boston to 80-78. But Paul Pierce missed a fadeaway jumper, and the Bulls pulled away by going 9-of-12 on free throws down the stretch.

Rose started in place of Eddie Robinson after coming off the bench in Chicago’s previous two contests.

Chicago led 23-21 after the first period led by 12 points from Kendall Gill, who was 5-of-6 from the floor in the opening period.

The Celtics took their final lead of the night, 44-42, on a 3-pointer by James with 1:18 left in the second period. Rose responded with a 3-pointer on Chicago’s next possession, and the Bulls led 47-44 at the break.

James had 18 points and Pierce 14 for the Celtics, whose modest two-game winning streak was snapped.

Notes: Rose scored a team-high 17.3 points per game against Boston last season. … Boston fans saved their loudest cheers during pre-game introductions for Vin Baker, who hit the game-winning basket on Tuesday night in Indiana. … Bulls forward-center Tyson Chandler missed his third straight game with a bruised lower back. … The win was Chicago’s first of the season when scoring less than 100 points.

AP-ES-11-12-03 2154EST