The Bulls expected to suffer on the Philadelphia floor last night after defeating the Sixers at home for their last game of 2023. The Sixers were indeed waiting for them, and the result was not long in coming. , since Chicago, already deprived of Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic, then deprived during the match of Patrick Williams and Coby White, was relentlessly fired up throughout the first half.
There was first a scathing 43-18 in the first quarter, with a 7/11 3-pointer from the locals to accompany Joel Embiid's destructive operation. Tyrese Maxey, Kelly Oubre, Tobias Harris, Nicolas Batum, Pat Beverley… Each of his lieutenants went there with their basket behind the arc to very quickly increase the gap, especially since the Bulls were pointing at 0/9 in the exercise to start the game.
Joel Embiid then took matters into his own hands by scoring 15 points in the second quarter to already seal the fate of the match. Enough to bring the gap to +31 at halftime (73-42)! If they resisted better after the break, notably with the help of the Caruso-Dosunmu-Carter trio to support DeMar DeRozan in the third quarter (98-72), the Bulls were never able to worry the locals, the residents. For the honor, there was just a 15-0 to complete a mega “garbage-time” of 12 minutes in the last quarter and reduce the final score a little (110-97).
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– Joel Embiid on his 31. The Sixers pivot started 2024 with his feet on the floor! Joel Embiid enjoyed himself against his best enemy Andre Drummond and in the absence of Nikola Vucevic, offering himself a lightning triple-double (his 7th in his career) with 31 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists in… 31 minutes. He was particularly present to establish his domination and drive the point home in the second quarter, bending the match with all his weight! This is also his 15th game in a row with 30 points or more.
– A match to forget for Chicago. Below their opponent in all areas of the game, the Bulls experienced a negative evening for this first outing in 2024. Worse, they lost Patrick Williams shortly before the break, then Coby White at the end of the third quarter, all two ankle touchdowns during the match. One more hassle when Nikola Vucevic was already missing, and Zach LaVine is not yet back…
How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive rebound; T = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Pts = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
