Bulls lean on all-around effort to withstand Sixers in double OT

Zach LaVine scored 26 points, DeMar DeRozan added 25 and the Chicago Bulls outlasted the host Philadelphia 76ers 109-105 in double overtime on Monday (Tuesday, March 21, Manila time).

Nikola Vucevic added 21 points and 12 rebounds for the Bulls, who won their third in a row.

Coby White scored 11 points and Derrick Jones Jr. had 10 for the Bulls, who closed the game on an 8-0 run in the final 2:37.

DeRozan hit consecutive shots to tie the game before LaVine and White sealed the victory with two free throws apiece in the final 51.4 seconds of the second overtime.

Joel Embiid had 37 points, 16 rebounds and three blocked shots for the Sixers. Embiid fouled out with 3:54 remaining in the second overtime trying to block LaVine’s shot.

Tyrese Maxey added 22 points and De’Anthony Melton had 19 points and four steals for the Sixers, who had their eight-game winning streak snapped. Tobias Harris scored 14 points and James Harden had 12 assists but scored only five points on 2-of-14 shooting.

Harris gave the Sixers a short-lived 105-101 lead with a corner jumper with 2:37 left.

Embiid’s driving layup gave the Sixers a 99-97 advantage with 47.6 seconds left in the first overtime, but DeRozan tied the game at 99 on a layup with 37.0 seconds to go.

Following a turnover by Harden, the Bulls had one last chance to win the game but DeRozan misfired on a 3-pointer to force a second extra session.

The Sixers took an 87-84 lead with 4:21 remaining in the fourth quarter when Harden drove to the basket and scored.

On Chicago’s next two trips, Vucevic converted a three-point play and added a short jumper for an 89-87 advantage.

Maxey tied the game at 91 with 33.3 seconds left but then missed the potential game-winning 3-pointer with less than two seconds remaining to send the game into overtime.

DeRozan dropped in a deep jump shot just inside the 3-point line from the corner for a 40-35 Bulls advantage with 2:08 left in the second quarter.

Harris threw down a dunk with 1.8 seconds remaining and the Sixers trailed 44-40 heading into the locker room. – Rappler.com