NBA: Error-prone Bulls fall to dangerous 76ers

Ignore the scrappy Philadelphia 76ers at your own risk.

The Chicago Bulls, the current number one seed in the Eastern Conference, turned the ball over 17 times, which led to 29 Philadelphia points, as the 76ers moved up to second place in the East standings with a resounding 98-82 home victory last Wednesday (Thursday, PHL time).

 

Up by five after halftime, the 76ers cranked up their defensive intensity several notches in the third quarter, holding the Bulls to just 11 points, while scoring 26 on their own. 

 

Now staring at a 75-55 deficit with 12 minutes left to play, Chicago's head coach Tom Thibodeau, who was earlier in the day adjudged Eastern Conference Coach of the Month, waved the white flag, sending in the reserves.

 

At the start of the game, the Bulls actually found themselves leading 17-11, thanks to a Kyle Korver two-pointer, five minutes and 41 seconds remaining. Philadelphia countered with a 16-2 run that made it 27-19 thanks to the efforts of Elton Brand and reserve big man Lavoy Allen, and it was all downhill for Chicago from then on.

 

Andre Iguodala played 40 minutes and led his team with 19 points and nine rebounds, while Thaddeus Young came off the bench for another 19, plus eight boards. Point guard Jrue Holiday added 17 markers, four rebounds and five dimes. 

 

Philadelphia simply outhustled Chicago, beating them on the boards 43-37, and on the break, courtesy of a 21-4 difference in transition points.

 

CJ Watson came off the bench with a game-best 20 points for the Bulls, while last year's MVP Derrick Rose had 18, but needed 17 attempts to get there. 

 

Richard Hamilton and Luol Deng were both still out for the Bulls, and it showed, as they lacked the offensive firepower to hang with the 76ers. 

 

Chicago is still on top of the East with an 18-6 record, taking into account this game as well. There are, however, three teams a game back, nipping at their heels: Philadelphia, the Atlanta Hawks and the Miami Heat, a team that would have taken the top spot had they not lost for the second-straight time against the Milwaukee Bucks. — AMD/JVP, GMA News