CHICAGO – A few hours before the Celtics’ return game against the Bulls, Jayson Tatum insisted that his knee tendonitis was subsiding and back to form after a few days of rest and strenuous rehabilitation.

While the Celtics sought redemption after their stunning home loss to the Bulls on Thursday, Tatum put on a masterful performance on Saturday at the United Center. The 3-pointer whirred. He attacked the rim at will and also took on the roles of distributor and rebounder.

The result was his third triple-double of the regular season as he had a strong second-half performance to lead the Celtics to a stunning 123-98 victory over the Bulls. Tatum finished the game with 43 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists, joining Larry Bird as the only Celtics with a 40-point triple-double.

“It means everything is a historic franchise,” Tatum said. “I think Larry Bird is probably the best player to wear this jersey and any time you achieve something in the same sentence as him is special.

“Even if you never reach that peak, that’s the type that’s standard here. This is the person I’m pursuing. It means a lot to be in the same sentence as him in certain categories.”

Tatum made nine of his 15 3-pointers and completed his trifecta with a lob pass to Kristaps Porzingis, who scored with a jump shot. He was 16 of 24 from the field as the Celtics shot 48.5 percent and harassed the Bulls inside, scoring a season-high 60 points.

The Bulls entered TD Garden on Thursday and outscored the Celtics by 35 points in the fourth quarter to pull away with a 117-108 victory. The Celtics missed a club-record 42 3-pointers and then picked up three technical fouls in a crucial late-game period that ended any chance of a rally.

There was no such drama on Saturday. The Celtics went on a 19-8 run in the third quarter, with Tatum scoring 12 points, to take a 93-77 lead early in the fourth quarter. The Bulls were done.

“I think the one thing we’ve done over the year to be a really good team is our response,” Tatum said. “It was like a playoff format. I think we were all very excited for the opportunity to respond and I think we did.”

He added an assist to Al Horford late in the quarter and finished the period with 34 points, 14 rebounds and 9 assists. The Celtics ditched their usual 3-point emphasis and used ball movement and cuts to score at the rim.

Tatum stunned the crowd with a fierce dunk over a leaping Jalen Smith as the Celtics pulled away.

“Anytime you see a guy play like that, you’re kind of fascinated by it,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. “But I thought he got it as the game went on. I don’t think we went beyond what we normally do.

“This is a testament to him. His shooting technique, his decision-making ability and his rebounding ability are just great.”

The lead grew to 25 points in the fourth quarter, with Tatum still one assist away from a triple double. He said there was no lobbying or discussion with Mazzulla to return to the game. Mazzulla introduced him at the usual time. This triple double would be acquired naturally.

“I respect the game too much,” he said. “And I feel like that’s the way it’s meant to be when it’s meant to be. I’m not trying to go out there and show off to anyone. I try to play the right way and be the best player I can throughout the game.

“You respect the game and it rewards you. I’m going to have more triple-doubles and more 50-point games the right way.”

The Bulls, one of the league’s more inconsistent teams, had won five of seven games entering Saturday and had dominated the Celtics in the previous game. This time, they looked disheveled at times against the Celtics’ aggressive defense, missing a number of dunks, layups and short jumpers.

Zach LaVine, who paced the Celtics with 36 points on Thursday, managed 14 on 11 shot attempts. Mazzulla’s focus was on driving the Bulls away from the 3-point line.

Before the game, Mazzulla said his club had achieved three of their four main goals in the previous encounter on Thursday, but he did not want to divulge that single flaw. But it was obvious that the Bulls had caught the attention of the Celtics after their 117-108 win, especially with their physicality.

“We were able to defend the 3-point line a little better,” Mazzulla said. “I thought we had some real intent defensively in terms of tendencies and executing the game plan.

“I thought Jayson controlled the entire game with his poise and decision making and took advantage of what the defense gave him. I still think his greatness is taken for granted. It was a great performance from him.”

Gary Washburn is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him @GwashburnGlobe.