The Chicago Bulls defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 109-105 in double overtime on Monday night, snapping the 76ers’ eight-game winning streak. Zach LaVine scored 26 points, DeMar DeRozan had 25, and Nikola Vucevic added 21 points and 12 rebounds for the Bulls. Joel Embiid had a remarkable 37 points, 16 rebounds, and three blocks before fouling out with 3:54 left in the second overtime.
The Philadelphia 76ers honored their 1983 championship team during a halftime ceremony, led by Hall of Famer Julius “Dr. J” Erving. The current team also met with the ’83 team during shootaround on Monday morning. Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball had surgery for a cartilage transplant in his left knee and is out indefinitely after a third surgery on the knee in just over a year.
The 76ers could have won the game in regulation, but Tyrese Maxey’s 3-pointer at the buzzer was off the mark. Maxey finished with 17 points. Tobias Harris contributed with a baseline jumper that put the 76ers ahead 105-101 with 2:36 left in the second overtime, but those were the last points Philadelphia scored, with Embiid only able to watch from the bench.
Harden had one of his worst performances since joining the 76ers at the trade deadline last season, finishing with just five points while missing 12 of 14 shots, including all six 3-point attempts, and he also had five turnovers. The Bulls improved to 14-21 on the road, while Philadelphia fell to 26-11 at home. Embiid had been 12-0 in his career against the Bulls.
The Chicago Bulls defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 109-105 in double overtime on Monday night, snapping the 76ers’ eight-game winning streak. Zach LaVine scored 26 points, DeMar DeRozan had 25, and Nikola Vucevic added 21 points and 12 rebounds for the Bulls. Joel Embiid had a remarkable 37 points, 16 rebounds, and three blocks before fouling out with 3:54 left in the second overtime. It was the 10th straight game in which Embiid scored at least 30 points.
The win was the Bulls’ third in a row and fifth in six games, as they fight for the final playoff spot in the East. “We have a bigger goal in mind,” DeRozan said. “We’re fighting for our life every game. We’re just playing with that desperation right now.”
The teams will meet again on Wednesday night in Chicago for the second game of a home-and-home. Philadelphia could have clinched a playoff spot with a victory, but they struggled offensively once Embiid left the court after a foul on LaVine. “We couldn’t get anything going offensively really the whole game,” Embiid said.
The 76ers could have won the game in regulation, but Tyrese Maxey’s 3-pointer at the buzzer was off the mark. Maxey finished with 17 points. Tobias Harris contributed with a baseline jumper that put the 76ers ahead 105-101 with 2:36 left in the second overtime, but those were the last points Philadelphia scored, with Embiid only able to watch from the bench.
Harden had one of his worst performances since joining the 76ers at the trade deadline last season. He finished with just five points while missing 12 of 14 shots, including all six 3-point attempts, and he also had five turnovers. After the game, Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers indicated that Harden’s foot was bothering him. Harden missed Saturday’s 141-121 win over the Pacers due to injury recovery.
Embiid has been making a case for his first NBA MVP award all season. Denver’s Nikola Jokic has won the last two MVPs, and Giannis Antetokounmpo claimed the previous two. Boston’s Jayson Tatum is also a strong candidate. Rivers said the debate around the award is too vitriolic. “Joel is the MVP,” Rivers said. “I thought he was the MVP last year. But can we stop trying to put people down? All of them are great. We don’t need to put one down to elevate the rest.”
The Philadelphia 76ers honored their 1983 championship team during a halftime ceremony, led by Hall of Famer Julius “Dr. J” Erving. The current team also met with the ’83 team during shootaround on Monday morning, which Rivers described as a beneficial experience. The Bulls’ point guard Lonzo Ball had surgery for a cartilage transplant in his left knee, and he is out indefinitely after a third surgery on the knee in just over a year. The Bulls improved to 14-21 on the road, while Philadelphia fell to 26-11 at home. Embiid had been 12-0 in his career against the Bulls. The Bulls host Philadelphia on Wednesday night, while the 76ers will be at Chicago on Wednesday night.
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