CHICAGO, Nov. 7 (BUS): Joel Embiid scored 30 points and 15 rebounds to lead Philadelphia 76ers to their sixth straight win, 114-105 over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night.
Furkan Korkmaz had his career best with seven 3-pointers and added 25 points for the Sixers, who topped Chicago for the second time in four nights and secured coach Doc Rivers’ 1,000th career win, The Associated Press reported.
“He’s not analytical at the moment. He’s only used a three-man bench as his team deals with the injuries and illness that have kept several regulars off the field recently.
“The ball kept getting to the right players in the last two and a half minutes.”
Zach Lavigne scored 32 points and DeMar DeRozan added 25 points for Chicago.
The Bulls led 97-96 after LaVine finished a 10-0 run with a 3 pointer with 5:48 to play, but Embiid answered with 3 a minute later and the Sixers were never behind again. Korkmaz gave Philadelphia a little cushion with his last 3 pointers with 3:03 left and the Bulls played catch-up the rest of the way.
Embiid finished the Bulls with his last of four three-pointers 15 seconds before the end of the match.
“The chemistry we have is very different from previous years,” Embiid said. “We are complete. We are on the same page.
“Everyone feels like they have something to prove.”
The bulls didn’t seem to find a consistent shooting touch, especially from the ocean. They finished the game 7 for 29 from a long distance while the Sixers were 50% of the same range.
“If you really split it up, the last time we played, I think they did double what we did in 3 seconds,” Bulls coach Billy Donovan said.
The Sixers went halfway 15-0 during the second quarter to erase a 38-32 deficit and the Bulls edged past 25-9 for the final six minutes to take a 57-47 lead into the break. Embiid scored 14 of his 20 first-half points during the round and capped a 3-pointer in the final seconds.
Shake Melton scored 13 points for the Sixers, who led the Bulls 103-98 in Philadelphia on Wednesday. Nikola Vucevich finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds for Chicago.
close call
Embiid turned angrily and hit his right arm after he dribbled off his foot while driving to the basket late in the first half and nearly hit Chicago’s Lonzo Ball in the head. A technical foul was assessed on Embiid but he remained in the match after replays showed he was only grazing the hair of the ball with a fast pass.
“He didn’t try to get it,” Lavigne said. “He was frustrated and was just swinging in the air.
“Fortunately, (the ball) goes down.”
Teacher’s call
Rivers became the 10th coach to achieve 1,000 wins in a 23-season career that includes spells with the Orlando, Boston and Los Angeles Clippers. He got an ice bucket shower from Embiid and Tyrese Maxey when he entered the locker room.
“They put me down really well,” Rivers said. “It was cold. I wish it was beer instead.”
Rivers, a Chicago resident, said he was glad his brother might attend the game and share this special moment with him.
Hints
Sixers: Korkmaz is back after missing Thursday night’s win in Detroit with a pain in his right wrist. … Danny Green (left hamstring) missed his third straight game.
Bulls: Donovan said he’s not sure how long LaVine will need to continue wearing fascia on his non-shooting left hand. He’s been playing for over a week with a small tear in his thumb ligaments.
the following
Sixers: New York hosts on Monday.
Bulls: Brooklyn hosted on Monday.