SALT LAKE CITY — The top-seeded Boston Celtics are back from the brink of disaster.

They have dug themselves out of an 0-2 hole against the Chicago Bulls to regain control of the series. A victory Friday would be the first time the franchise with 14 NBA titles has advanced past the first round since 2012.

“The key has been playing consistent,” Celtics guard Avery Bradley explained how Boston has flipped the script. “The first two games we obviously were a little emotional. We weren’t playing team basketball. We were just kind of playing free and not executing our plays at both ends of the floor and our games plans.

“Once we were able to slow down and focus on what we needed to do as a team on every detail, we were able to play a lot better.”

The Celtics weren’t expected to have to work this hard against a Bulls team that needed a tiebreaker to reach the playoffs. The team was dealt an emotional blow with the death of Isaiah Thomas’ sister the day before the playoffs began and the Bulls took the first two games in Boston.

Forward Jae Crowder said the Celtics are better team on the road.

“I had a good feeling in my heart when he came here 0-2 that we would come together and give ourselves a chance to win Game 3,” Crowder said. “That’s what happened. I just felt like we needed to get away from the stuff that was going on back home and just be us.”

Now the Chicago Bulls must do something it hasn’t this series — win a home game. And they’ll likely have to do it without Rajon Rondo, who broke his thumb in Game 2.

“You know, we’ve got to find a way to do the things that gave us success,” Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said. “We have to have pace. Even though Rajon’s not out there, we still have to try to get down the floor and get into our actions with plenty of time on the shot clock.

“That’s changed obviously with Rajon being out of the lineup, but it is what it is and we’re going to continue to fight.”