ISAIAH THOMAS and Avery Bradley scored 24 points apiece to help the Boston Celtics beat the Chicago Bulls 108-97 Wednesday and take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.

    “Everyone knows Bradley’s a good defender. Tonight, he got his offensive game going,” Chicago’s Dwyane Wade said.

    “You expect him to do what he does defensively, but we gave up 24 points to him tonight. He hurt us offensively tonight more than anything.”

    After the road team won each of the first four games, the Celtics won at home in Game 5 to earn a chance to eliminate the Bulls on Friday night in Chicago.

    A Bulls victory would force the series back to Boston for a decisive Game 7 Sunday.

    Al Horford had 21 points, nine assists and seven rebounds for the Celtics. Bradley’s 24 points were a career playoff high, but after watching him hold Bulls star Jimmy Butler to 14 points — and just one foul shot — Celtics coach Brad Stevens praised Bradley’s defense.

    “Jimmy Butler’s a hard guy to guard. Dwyane Wade’s a hard guy to guard. You’re not going to stop those guys, but you just try to make it as hard as possible,” Stevens said.(SD-Agencies)