|
Guard Aaron Brooks and forward Pau Gasol wouldn't let the trend
continue.
Despite a depleted roster that included injuries to guard Derrick
Rose, swingman Jimmy Butler, forward Taj Gibson and forward-center
Joakim Noah, Brooks and Gasol each came through with huge
performances to lead the Bulls past the Philadelphia 76ers 104-95 in
overtime on Wednesday night at the Wells Fargo Center.
"Aaron was terrific and I thought Pau gave us a lot," Bulls coach
Tom Thibodeau said. "A lot of guys stepped up. We needed everyone."
Brooks scored a season-high 31 points. Gasol had 19 points and seven
rebounds by halftime and finished with 27 points and 16 rebounds.
Even with the litany of injuries, the Bulls never seem fazed.
"It's been one thing after another," Brooks said. "This team is
resilient."
Forward Nikola Mirotic added 16 points and 12 rebounds for the
Bulls, who improved to 40-26 and climbed within one game of the
Cleveland Cavaliers in the Central Division. Forward Tony Snell
chipped in with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Brooks made several clutch baskets down the stretch of the fourth
quarter and overtime to help the Bulls pull out their 20th road win
of the season.
"We found a way to get it done," Gasol said. "It gives us a lot of
confidence."
Chicago trailed 92-89 late in the fourth quarter before Brooks
drained a clutch 3-pointer with 43 seconds left to help force
overtime.
Brooks scored seven points and Gasol had four points in overtime as
the Bulls dominated.
"Despite the injuries, you just feel obligated to get it done,"
Brooks said.
The score was tied at 51 heading into halftime and the Bulls took
control in the third quarter with stellar defense. Chicago outscored
Philadelphia 21-12 to go ahead 72-63 after the third quarter.
Guard-forward Mike Dunleavy hit a 50-footer off the glass at the
third quarter buzzer.
The 76ers missed their final two shots of the second quarter and
their first 12 of the third for an 0-of-14 drought. Forward Robert
Covington finally got the 76ers on the board with a layup with 4:21
remaining in the third quarter.
Guard Ish Smith scored a career-high 23 points and guard Isaiah
Canaan had 20. Canaan knocked down his first five shots from the
field but wound up 7 of 15.
Covington contributed 12 points, center Nerlens Noel grabbed 15
rebounds and forward Thomas Robinson also swept 15 rebounds.
But the Sixers couldn't overcome 12-of-25 free-throw shooting, which
ultimately cost them.
[to top of second column] |
"I thought the effort was there," Noel said. "Starting with me, we
have to be able to hit free throws. If we make free throws, it would
have put us in a better position at the end of the game. But
otherwise, everything was there."
It was the 50th loss of the season for the Sixers, who fell to 9-23
at home.
"I think we just have to continue to create better offense," Noel
said.
Noel played 36 effective minutes and continued to impress coach
Brett Brown.
"He gives us our best chance to win," Brown said. "He's shown over
the past few weeks just how dominant he can be at the rim."
NOTES: The Bulls had just 10 available players. ... Bulls F Pau
Gasol leads the NBA with 44 double-doubles, a career high. He had 43
for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2010-11. The last Chicago player with
at least 50 double-doubles in a season was Charles Oakley with 53 in
1986-87. ... The Bulls have won 10 of the last 11 games, including
five straight against the 76ers. ... The 76ers attempted a
season-high 41 3-pointers. ... Sixers C Nerlens Noel has at least 10
rebounds and four steals in each of the past four games, the longest
streak by an NBA player since center Hakeem Olajuwon accomplished
the feat in November 1988. ... Injured 76ers C Joel Embiid, the
team's first-round pick last June, had his surgically repaired right
foot checked by doctors in Los Angeles. 76ers coach Brett Brown, on
the doctor's visit: "That everything is right on track. It's healing
at the rate that we expected. He has been allowed to dunk." Embiid
hasn't played at all this season. ... The Bulls improved to 13-1
when holding the opposition below 40 percent shooting from the
field. The Sixers shot just 34.6 percent (36 of 104).
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
