CHICAGO – Carlos Boozer and Luol Deng each scored 23 points, and the Chicago Bulls escaped Thursday night with an 89-80 win over the Boston Celtics after losing a 16-point lead.

It was hardly an easy night for the Bulls, but they continued to win even though Derrick Rose missed a fourth straight game with lower back pain.

The Bulls struggled early before going on a run that gave them a 16-point lead in the third quarter. Boston came back and was up 61-60 early in the fourth after Chris Wilcox’s alley-oop dunk, but a 12-point run broke a 69-69 tie and sent Chicago to a seventh win in eight games.

Taj Gibson’s layup four minutes into the quarter started the decisive rally. Deng sandwiched a 3-pointer and layup around a free throw by Kyle Korver, and Boozer capped the rally with a pair of layups that made it 81-69, giving Chicago its league-leading 25th win.

The Bulls appeared in good shape leading 51-35 early in the third after Boozer capped a 22-2 run with a dunk. But after blowing nearly all of a 19-point lead Tuesday night against Sacramento, they watched as the Celtics came back.

Ray Allen hit three 3-pointers as Boston pulled within 60-59, and would have taken the lead into the fourth had Garnett not blown a dunk in the last minute.

No problem.

Rondo fed Wilcox for an alley-oop dunk in the opening seconds of the fourth quarter to give Boston a short-lived a 61-60 lead. The Bulls ultimately prevailed even though they looked at times like a team missing its MVP. Rose took some free throws at the morning shootaround but wasn’t able to run.

Coach Tom Thibodeau said he is “feeling a lot better” but remains day to day.

Rose has missed nine games this season because of back and toe problems after sitting out six in his first three years, but the Bulls were breathing a little easier this week after a back specialist confirmed there was no structural damage.

“We’re just going to wait and see how it goes,” Thibodeau said.

NOTES: Thibodeau said guard Richard Hamilton is “making good progress.” The veteran remains sidelined by an injured right thigh. This was the start of a five-game trip for Boston.