Bulls-76ers Preview

By MATT BECKER
Posted Mar 03 2012 4:20PM

The Philadelphia 76ers have been one of the few teams to have repeated success frustrating Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls.

Last month's lopsided loss in Philadelphia still bothers the league's reigning MVP.

Rose and the Bulls look to avenge that defeat and avoid losing a fourth straight to the 76ers on Sunday night at the Wells Fargo Center.

Chicago (30-8) owns a one-game lead over Miami atop the Eastern Conference and is 7 1/2 games ahead of Atlantic Division-leading Philadelphia (22-15). The Bulls, however, have lost three straight to the Sixers, their longest active skid against any team.

Philadelphia, which leads the league in scoring defense at 87.0 points - just ahead of Chicago's 88.2 - has excelled at getting the Bulls out of their rhythm. Chicago has averaged 88.7 points and shot 26.8 percent from 3-point range in the last three defeats, with Rose averaging 6.0 turnovers.

In this season's first meeting Feb. 1, Chicago trailed by five at halftime before being outscored 26-11 in the third quarter en route to a 98-82 loss. The Sixers forced 17 turnovers leading to 29 points, and Rose (18) and C.J. Watson (20) were the only Bulls to score in double figures.

"We're kind of mad with the way that they smacked us last time at their place," Rose said after Friday's 112-91 win at Cleveland.

One advantage Chicago could have in the rematch is the presence of Luol Deng.

The first-time All-Star, who missed last month's meeting with a sprained left wrist, had a season-high 24 points on 9-of-14 shooting Friday. Rose had 19 points and nine assists in 28 minutes for the Bulls, who shot 52.8 percent and made 10 of 20 3-pointers.

Friday's victory was Chicago's fifth straight and 12th in 14 games since the loss in Philadelphia.

"Our guys' attitude has been great all season," coach Tom Thibodeau said. "In this league, you get in trouble if you feel good about a win you had in the last game or you look ahead to another opponent. That's when you get hurt. You have to concentrate on what's in front of you. Being ready is the big thing."

While the Bulls have regrouped since losing to the 76ers, Philadelphia hasn't enjoyed much success lately.

The win over Chicago gave the Sixers 12 victories in 14 home games, but they're 2-5 at the Wells Fargo Center since. They snapped a four-game home skid with Friday's 105-83 victory over Golden State, just their second victory in eight games overall.

Lou Williams matched a season high with 25 points to help Philadelphia reach the century mark for the first time in 20 games.

"We weren't playing like a team that lost a few home games in a row," Elton Brand said. "We were playing like, hey, we can turn it off and turn it on any time we want. We know we can't. We've lost some really tight games."

Brand had 14 points and 14 rebounds Friday, while Andre Iguodala finished with 12 points and 11 boards. The Sixers outrebounded Golden State 51-39 and will likely need another effort like that on the glass against the Bulls, who are second in the league in rebounding at 45.6 per game.

Philadelphia had a 43-37 advantage on the boards in the first meeting with Chicago, which is 5-5 when it gets outrebounded. The Bulls are 24-2 when outrebounding their opponent.

The Sixers had five players finish with at least 14 points against Chicago last month, with Iguodala and Thaddeus Young each scoring 19.

Rose scores 35 as Bulls hold off 76ers 96-91

By DAN GELSTON
Posted Mar 04 2012 11:04PM

PHILADELPHIA (AP) With the game down to the final precious possessions, Chicago and Philadelphia each leaned on its best player.

Derrick Rose, the reigning MVP, saw a crack in the defense, went left-to-right with the ball and scored for a four-point lead.

Andre Iguodala shot an air ball and fired one attempt off the backboard.

Make it 31 wins and counting for the Bulls - and another defeat against the elite for the back-to-reality Sixers.

Rose tied a season high with 35 points, Joakim Noah had 11 points and 18 rebounds and Chicago beat Philadelphia 96-91 on Sunday night for their sixth straight win.

Rose dominated the Sixers, scoring 20 points in the second half, and he had a pair of quarter-ending buzzer-beaters that showed why he's on short list of the NBA's best players. He was 12 for 23 from the field, including 4 for 7 from 3-point range.

"It was great knowing we didn't get distracted toward the end," Rose said. "We knew what we had to do."

Yeah, like get the ball to Rose. In a battle of division leaders, the Bulls made all the big shots over the final minutes to end a three-game losing streak against the Sixers.

Leading 91-89, the Bulls turned the ball over, but Iguodala tossed up an air ball on a 3-point attempt. The Bulls turned the ball over again, and this time it was Thaddeus Young who missed a jumper for the Sixers. At least his shot hit the rim.

Rose made them pay for the misses, going left hand-to-right for a one-handed shot on the run for a 93-89 lead with 20.2 seconds left.

"I don't shoot it with my left hand at all. I'm not that good yet," said Rose, smiling. "I just saw an opening, my floater's all right, and I just got it up there."

Iguodala's tying 3 clanged off the backboard and finished off the Sixers. He was scoreless in the fourth quarter (0 for 4) and finished with 14 points.

"We've got to do a better job of helping each other out late in games," Iguodala said.

Carlos Boozer scored 13 points for the Bulls. Philadelphia's Elton Brand had 14 points and 13 rebounds for his third straight double-double, Young had 17 points and Jrue Holiday 16.

The Bulls alternated in the fourth between sloppy play and clutch buckets.

Late in the quarter, Rose's pass went over Noah's head and was intercepted by Holiday, leading to Young's dunk that made it 87-85. Noah and Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau exchanged words on the bench in a timeout, perhaps over miscommunication on that play. Noah placed his hand on Thibodeau's shoulder to make a point.

C.J. Watson, playing with a sprained left ankle, made a long jumper on the next play.

Rose took it from there. He had nailed a 22-footer at the halftime buzzer and another long jumper with a hand in his face to end the third that tied it at 64.

The Bulls carried that last-shot momentum into the fourth. Luol Deng hit a pair of 3s early in the quarter and Rose continued to torment the Sixers.

Still, the Sixers kept the Bulls in their sight, and Holiday's dunk pulled them to 82-78. But the Sixers weren't smart with the ball and Iguodala's long 3 hit nothing but air - even as he protested in vain it was tipped.

"It comes down to your primary scorers in every game," Thibodeau said.

The Bulls are thankful they have Rose.

The Sixers, losing their grip on the Atlantic Division, give the Bulls fits each time they play.

"We know that we have that team's attention," Collins said.

Brand had a big block on Noah in the first half, then scooped the loose ball on a bad-pass turnover on Chicago's next possession. The Sixers led 46-40 at the break and kept rolling in the third. Iguodala slammed home Holiday's jumper off the front of the rim, and Young made a sweet spin around Taj Gibson that wobbled the forward in the paint for a bucket.

Once Deng, Noah and Richard Hamilton warmed up offensively, the Bulls got going. At one point in the first half, the trio were a combined 2 of 11 for four points. That was long forgotten by the fourth, and when Deng hit consecutive 3s early in the quarter, the Bulls turned the deficit into a 74-66 lead.

"I thought when they punched us, I thought we looked around like, `Who's going to help us?"' Collins said.

They didn't have an answer.

NOTES: Sixers C Spencer Hawes is close to returning after sitting out almost a month with a strained left Achilles tendon. Hawes could return to the lineup by the middle of the month. ... Collins felt the pain when Duke lost to North Carolina on Saturday night. Collins' son, Chris, is an assistant for the Blue Devils. "Do I feel it? That's your son sitting over there on the bench getting beat," he said. "Yeah, I feel it." ... 76ers broadcaster Malik Rose is pulling for the Drexel Dragons to win the Colonial Athletic Association tournament Monday. Rose led the Dragons to the tournament from 1994-96, but the program hasn't been back. "I think they still have a good chance at getting an at-large," he said.

Notebook: Bulls 96, Sixers 91

Posted Sunday March 4, 2012 10:42PM

By Andy Jasner, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: Derrick Rose scored 35 points, including a clutch shot from the baseline with 20.2 seconds remaining, to lift the Chicago Bulls past the Philadelphia 76ers 96-91 Sunday night at the Wells Fargo Center. Carlos Boozer added 13 points while Joakim Noah had 11 points and 18 rebounds. The Bulls improved to 31-8 and won their sixth game in a row. They also have compiled a league-best 17 road victories.

Thaddeus Young led the Sixers (22-16) with 17 points while Jrue Holiday had 16 points. Elton Brand, Nikola Vucevic and Andre Iguodala contributed 14 each but it wasn't enough as the Sixers had their three-game winning streak snapped against Chicago.

QUOTABLE: "We hung on. I thought we showed a lot of toughness."
-- Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau.

THE STAT: The Sixers lost despite committing just six turnovers. It's the 16th time the Sixers have recorded fewer than 10 turnovers in a game this season.

TURNING POINT: The Bulls exploded on a 15-2 run early in the fourth quarter to snap a 66-all game and quickly turn it into an 81-68 advantage. Deng hit a pair of 3-pointers and Rose added a triple during the burst. It was enough of a cushion to hold off the hard-charging Sixers down the stretch as they made a late push.

HOT: Rose knocked down 12 of his 23 shots, including 4-for-7 from beyond the arc. He was also 7-for-9 from the free throw line.

NOT: Sixers shooting guard Jodie Meeks misfired on five of his six shots, including all four 3-pointers.

QUOTABLE II: "At the end of the game, that's what I have to do, to lead this team by example."
-- Rose, on his shot with 20.2 seconds left, which helped propel the Bulls to their 31st win.

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: Rose scored 35 points, but he played a complete game with eight assists, four rebounds, one steal and one blocked shot.

INSIDE THE ARENA: Playing in front of a national television audience on ESPN, the huge crowd of 19,683 was loud from the opening tip. It was easy to see the fans had been anticipating this game all day.

QUOTABLE III: "It gets frustrating. You've just got to take the blow and roll with it and just get to the next game. It's a long season."
-- Young, on the Sixers' sixth loss in their last eight games at home.

GOOD MOVE: The Bulls continued to work the ball inside and out, creating opportunities as the game continued. In the fourth, both facets were working so well and Rose simply controlled the game. He made the right decision time and time again and the Bulls worked their offense to precision.

BAD MOVE: The Sixers didn't get to the free throw line enough. They took some jumpers when they could have gone inside.

ROOKIE WATCH: Bulls swingman Jimmy Butler didn't play. For the Sixers, Lavoy Allen started and had two points and two rebounds. Vucevic was tremendous in the first half and wound up with 14 points and eight rebounds.

NOTABLE: Bulls guard C.J. Watson sprained his left ankle with 8.5 seconds left in the second quarter. He returned at the start of the fourth. ... Brand registered his third consecutive double-double. ... Brand has 16 offensive rebounds in the last three games. ... The Sixers are 0-4 when they've allowed a 30-point scorer this season. ... Noah earned his 16th double-double this season. He also has one triple-double.

NEXT: For the Bulls, Monday vs. Pacers, Wednesday @ Milwaukee, Thursday vs. Orlando. For the Sixers, Monday @ Milwaukee, Wednesday vs. Boston, Friday vs. Utah.

• Bulls: --
• 76ers: Hawes

• Bulls: --
• 76ers: --

• Lead Changes: 10
• Times Tied: 11

• Arena: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
• Officials: #25 Tony Brothers, #40 Leon Wood, #58 Josh Tiven
• Attendance: 19683
• Duration: 2:25