(670 The Score) The shorthanded Bulls earned a 105-92 win over the MVP-less, tired 76ers on Saturday evening at the United Center. Here are the notes and observations of the game.
The story of the game was what the 76ers didn’t have, and that was star center Joel Embiid and enough energy. Embiid remained sidelined with an ankle injury, and the 76ers were playing on the second of a back-to-back after a taxing 131-127 win at the Houston Rockets on Friday.
Despite committing four turnovers in the first four minutes of the game, the Bulls still jumped out to a 9-2 lead as the 76ers started 2-of-11 from the field. The Bulls trailed 46-45 late in the second quarter but ended the half on an 11-2 run to take control and never relinquished their lead.
“We started off not shooting it great but kind of stayed with it,” Bulls coach Billy Donovan said. “We got downhill, we moved the ball, we sprayed it around. I thought we played the right way.
“I liked the way our guys competed and played.”
Philadelphia shot 39.1% in the game and just 9-of-38 on 3-pointers. 76ers star guard Tyrese Maxey scored 20 points but shot just 8-of-22 after his 42-point night Friday.
“We’ve gotten better defensively, they’ve done a really good job,” Donovan said while noting the Bulls have cut down on their fouling and improved their defensive rebounding since the start of the season.
After a tough stretch recently, Bulls guard Coby White had 20 points on 7-of-15 shooting. He continued to be below his norm from 3-point land in shooting 1-of-5 from behind the arc, but he made a point to attack the hoop and finished well there.
White had shot 20-of-60 overall and 2-of-21 from 3-point range in the previous three games.
From his perspective, White is simply happy with how the Bulls have responded as a team in the past month. The Bulls (15-19) went 9-5 in December and have gone 10-5 since their ugly 5-14 start.
“We just competed, stayed with it,” White said. “Obviously, there are some ones that we wish we would’ve got back, but you know, we stuck in it together. The season didn’t start how we wanted it to start, obviously, but like I always say, we stick together as one unit and we’re always positive.
Everyone here wants to see each other succeed. When you’ve got teammates like that that all want to win, you know soon it’s going to flip or soon we’re going to start winning some games.”
With starting center Nikola Vucevic still sidelined by a groin strain, Andre Drummond produced in a big way once again in his starting role. Drummond had 15 points, 23 rebounds, three blocks and two steals while shooting 6-of-8 from the field.
Drummond now has 64 rebounds in the past three games. That’s the highest three-game rebounding total for any Bulls player since Dennis Rodman also had the same number in January 1998, according to Bulls PR.
Bulls reserve Terry Taylor, who’s 6-foot-5, played well while filling the backup center role in small-ball lineups. He had six points, six rebounds, two assists and a steal in 17 minutes while shooting 3-of-3 from the field. Taylor was consistently in the right spot defensively while providing help for his teammates.
“I’m just trying to fit in with the guys and make their job easier,” Taylor said. “Do all the little stuff – rebound, play hard, be a good, switchable defender.”
Saturday marked the most minutes that Taylor had played in a game this season. He entered Saturday averaging 3.8 minutes in 10 games of action.
“I can be used anywhere, I feel like,” Taylor said. “I’m willing to help the team in any way, whether it’s at the four, the five, the three. Whatever it is, I’ll be willing to help.”
In Bulls injury news, Vucevic isn’t expected to play Tuesday when Chicago visits Philadelphia. Donovan didn’t officially rule Vucevic out for Tuesday but acknowledged he didn’t view it as in the realm of possibility.
Logically, that would mean that Vucevic also likely misses the Bulls’ game at the Knicks on Wednesday, when they conclude their back-to-back. Vucevic hasn’t played since Dec. 23.
Bulls star guard Zach LaVine, who hasn’t played since Nov. 28 because of right foot inflammation, could begin practicing next week, Donovan said. LaVine will likely remain in Chicago to get work in at the practice facility when the Bulls go on their two-game road trip.
Cody Westerlund is an editor for 670TheScore.com and covers the Bulls. Follow him on Twitter @CodyWesterlund.