Boston Celtics advance, eliminate Chicago Bulls with Game 6 rout

The Boston Celtics are moving on. And Brad Stevens, for the first time as an NBA coach, is responsible.

After a difficult start to their first-round series against the Chicago Bulls, losing the first two games at home, the Celtics rebounded and won four consecutive games to clinch their spot in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Once Friday night's Game 6 domination was over, there was no doubt who was the better team. The Celtics pummeled Chicago 105-83.

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The Bulls' losing streak coincided with Rajon Rondo's fractured right thumb in Game 2. Though there was speculation he would try to return, Rondo didn't play the rest of the series. Dwyane Wade was awful on Friday, finishing with two points on 1 for 10 shooting. The Bulls were -27 when he was on the court in his 19 minutes.

Avery Bradley led the Celtics with 23 points, but all five starters scored in double figures. Isaiah Thomas, playing through tragedy, scored 12 on Friday night. Thomas is headed back to Washington state for his sister's funeral after she was tragically killed in a single-car accident.

Thomas left the Celtics' bench with a little over a minute remaining in the game. Coach Brad Stevens had apparently sent him back to the visiting locker room as Thomas was set to fly home Friday night.

"I don't know (how he was able to play)," Bradley said following the Celtics' Game 6 victory over the Bulls. "It's truly amazing. I know it's hard. I've been there before. You just want to be by yourself. As brothers, we wanted to be there for him every single day and let him know that we were going to support him."

The top-seeded Celtics are moving on to face the Washington Wizards in the second round.

Follow USA TODAY Sports' Michael Singer on Twitter @msinger.