The 76ers (3-4) next play Monday night at the Washington Wizards (3-3), an opportunity to finish their four-game road trip with three straight wins.
On Saturday, the Sixers held off the Chicago Bulls for a 114-109 victory after defeating the Raptors the previous night in Toronto. Tied with the Bulls at 109, Joel Embiid’s 3-pointer with 18.1 seconds left in regulation proved to be the game-winner for the visiting Sixers.
Embiid led all scorers with 25 points.
“Really, it starts defensively,” said Embiid. “If we’re connected and we’re able to get stops, our offense is going to be fine. That’s what we were able to do in the first quarter and the beginning of the second quarter. Just getting stops and getting out in transition.”
When it comes to transition and improving the team’s pace, veteran teammate Tobias Harris echoed Embiid’s message before explaining one of the group’s current objectives:
“Getting the ball over half-court before 20 seconds [left] on the shot clock. Just getting the ball up, kicking the ball ahead. We just have to keep embracing those types of things.”
The Sixers’ bench outscored the Bulls’ bench, 39-24, with Georges Niang and De’Anthony Melton both scoring in double figures.
“They’ve got to touch the ball to score,” Doc Rivers said postgame about the bench’s ball movement. “And now the ball is moving with that group and they’re starting to score.”
The Bulls had three 20-point scorers in defeat: DeMar DeRozan (24), Nikola Vučević (23), and Zach LaVine (20). Vučević also pulled down a game-high 19 rebounds.
Saturday’s Key Contributors
Joel Embiid
Georges Niang
James Harden
Tyrese Maxey
Tobias Harris
De’Anthony Melton
Monday’s Sixers-Wizards game in D.C. is a 7 p.m. ET start.
@Sixers Social:
Quote to Note:
Tobias Harris, on playing alongside Tyrese Maxey, who dropped a career-high 44 points on Friday in Toronto:
“Tyrese is special. My wife says, ‘Protect Tyrese at all costs.’
"He has this glow about him on the court. Anytime I step on the court with him is an honor.”
76ers vs. Chicago Bulls: Oct. 29, 2022
1 / 5CHICAGO, IL - OCTOBER 29: James Harden #1 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the ball during the game against the Chicago Bulls on October 29, 2022 at United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
Opponent Outlook:
Washington fell to the Boston Celtics, 112-94, on the road on Sunday night.
The Celtics made 21 threes (21-47, .447). The Wizards were led by Kristaps Porzingis, who posted a double-double with 17 points and 13 rebounds. Bradley Beal (22.6) and Kyle Kuzma (20.4) are both averaging more than 20 points per game.
Corey Kispert (left ankle sprain) has yet to make his season debut, while Delon Wright (right hamstring strain) has now missed the last two games.