The Sixers (48-23) visited the Chicago Bulls (34-37) on Wednesday. Philadelphia wanted to avenge Monday’s double-overtime loss to the Bulls. Chicago wanted to extend its winning streak to four games. The Sixers jumped out to an early 20-point lead, beating up on the Bulls in a wire-to-wire victory, 116-91.
Before we get to the action, some context is due.
Contextual Notes
The Sixers were without the services of James Harden, who has a sore left achilles.
Jalen McDaniels missed the game with a sore right hip.
Louis King and Mac McClung are on Two-Way G-League assignments with the Delaware Blue Coats and were unavailable.
Doc Rivers started Tyrese Maxey, De’Anthony Melton, Tobias Harris, PJ Tucker, and Joel Embiid.
The Bulls were without Lonzo Ball, who is out for the season after undergoing surgery on his left knee. Alex Caruso was out with a sore left midfoot.
Carlik Jones and Marko Simonovic are on G-League assignments with the Windy City Bulls and were out. Terry Taylor is on a Two-Way G-League assignment with the Windy City Bulls and was unavailable.
Justin Lewis had surgery to reconstruct the ACL in his right knee and was out.
Billy Donovan started Patrick Beverley, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Patrick Williams, and Nikola Vucevic.
Likes
From the moment the official tossed the jump-ball to the buzzer at the end of the second quarter, the Sixers were in their highest or second highest gears on both ends of the floor. There was a sense of engagement and taste for revenge after Monday’s loss that I don’t ever remember seeing. Usually, I find myself wondering why they aren’t as responsive the next time they play a team that they lost a winnable game to in the previous matchup. But, there was nothing left to wonder in this game.
The game kicked off with Tucker beating Chicago to a long rebound to give the Sixers a second life, with Melton lacing a three across the floor from where his teammate tracked down the ball. Philadelphia had phenomenal ball movement throughout the first half, creating and cashing in on good looks from beyond the arc. Even if it wasn’t open threes, the Sixers had no problem putting points on the board. They got to the rim in transition, taking advantage of favorable numbers. They got to the rim in the halfcourt, attacking close-outs and finishing or finding cutting teammates in the spaces vacated by the Bulls’ collapsing…
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