Sixers stumble vs. Bulls, 96-91
Bob Grotz
PHILADELPHIA – You really had to search for a silver lining in the Sixers’ 96-91 loss Sunday night to the Chicago Bulls. About all you could say was the Sixers refused to lose another game decided by four points or less. They’re 0-6 in that category this season. The Sixers lost for the seventh time […]
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The Times Herald
PHILADELPHIA – You really had to search for a silver lining in the Sixers’ 96-91 loss Sunday night to the Chicago Bulls.

About all you could say was the Sixers refused to lose another game decided by four points or less. They’re 0-6 in that category this season.

The Sixers lost for the seventh time in their last nine games basically because they couldn’t stop Derrick Rose. The brilliant point guard scored 35 points and dished eight assists.

But the Sixers (22-16) gave it a shot.

The Sixers had one last shot to tie it.

With 8 seconds left, Andre Iguodala was long and wide on a three-point attempt. Joakim Noah got the rebound and hit two free throws to ice it.

Thaddeus Young scored nine straight Sixers points late in the fourth quarter to keep it a two-point game.

The Sixers needed at least 11. Exhausted, Young missed a jump shot with the shot clock running down, and Rose scored on the other end to make it a four-point bulge with 20.2 ticks left.

Elton Brand, who played a solid game, was called for a foul on a pick with 19.8 seconds left

The Sixers made several big shots in the fourth quarter.

Jrue Holiday’s dunk capped a 10-1 run giving the Sixers a 82-78 with 5:17 remaining. It was his first points of the second half.

Young finished in traffic, made the free throw and finished on the break to pull the Sixers within 87-85 with just under three minutes left.

The Sixers battled in the third quarter.

Andre Iguodala stuffed a Holiday miss home for a 54-48 lead about halfway through the frame. Iguodala scored six points and grabbed two boards in the quarter.

But Rose simply beat the Sixers up the court and was fouled by Brand for a three-point play with 5:29 to go in the third quarter to cut the gap to 54-53, and shortly thereafter took over again.

In the last minute of the frame the Sixers regained the lead on a patented reverse runner in the lane by Young.

Young, however, couldn’t defend the last shot of the third quarter.

And again, it was a deep fadeaway by Rose.

Roses’ 24th and 25th points of the game knotted the score at 64 entering the final frame.

Sixers coach Doug Collins knew he was in trouble when Bulls 6-9 forward Luol Deng bombed a three-pointer for his points less than two minutes into the fourth quarter giving the Bulls a 71-66 advantage.

Minutes later Deng hit again from downtown giving the Bulls an eight-point lead, their biggest of the game.

The Bulls lead grew to 13 points before Lou Williams canned a couple of free throws, Brand hit a fade and Young finished a breakaway, hauling in a rocket from Holiday. The feed whistled past the ear of Brand, who had his back to the play.

But the Sixers fought back. Rose turned the first quarter into a work of art with a stunning array of jumpers, drives to the basket and passes.

The double-pump, spinning layup against Holiday brought fans from their seats. Moments later, a lean-in jump shot – picture a long, long jump with a jumper at the end – was every bit as dazzling. You couldn’t wait to see what Rose would try next.

Holiday couldn’t cover Rose. Neither could Iguodala.

Rose registered 13 points in the first 12 minutes to stake the Bulls to a 26-24 lead entering the second quarter. It looked like he could score 60 and still have enough energy to do all the post-game shows.

Holiday and the Sixers adjusted in the second quarter.

With Holiday doing the heavy work, and his teammates rotating crisply, the Sixers held Rose scoreless until the last shot of the half. And it was Brand who had switched off on him for the shot.

Basically the Sixers made Rose pass the ball. And that resulted in the likes of Joakim Noah taking jump shots.

Then there was Brand. Playing like he was reborn, Brand contributed eight points, nine rebounds and two blocks, including a late snuff of Noah on an attempted dunk to preserve an eight-point lead.

Rose’s buzzer beater gave him 15 points and pulled the Bulls within 46-40 at the break.

Holiday led the Sixers with a dozen points.

Interestingly, in that last minute of play Evan Turner fouled Rose at the request of Collins. Iguodala appeared to chastise his teammate, who tried to explain what happened.