By Sean Kennedy (@PhillyFastBreak)
Chicago 114, Philadelphia 107 – Box Score
“Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.”
The famous line uttered by Michael Corleone aptly describes the Sixers fans’ current relationship with the team. Having lost 7 straight games entering play Saturday night, it was easy to be out on Philadelphia’s final 3 games of the season. Facing a slew of injuries, the Sixers only had 9 players available in Chicago, including a grand total of zero point guards. It would have been easy for the team to metaphorically throw in the towel as this long season winds down to its conclusion. The Sixers had looked discombobulated and disinterested in recent poor losses to the Wizards and Knicks; yet another loss against a Bulls team fighting to grab the 3 seed in the East could only be expected.
Instead, the Sixers gave Chicago everything they could handle, yet another credit to Coach Brett Brown’s ability to motivate this young Sixers roster. Even as the losing streak stretched to 8 games, the Sixers managed to pull you back in, even if just a little.
The Sixers actually jumped out on the Bulls in the early going, opting to ramp the pace back up to the early Brett Brown days and get open threes before the stingy Chicago defense could get situated in the half court. Philadelphia attempted a whopping 41 triples on the game; if they had made more than 13, they likely would have won with ease. Then again, if they had the roster of players to make more than 13 threes, they probably wouldn’t have opted for such a strategy in the first place.
Behind the scoring prowess of Robert Covington, the Sixers actually went into halftime leading by one. Big Shot Bob scored a team-high 22 points, despite shooting just 1-9 from behind the arc; good work by him to find other ways to attack the Bulls aside from his usual rise and fire perimeter strategy. Helping out Covington, Jason Richardson had his second straight hot game from the outside, knocking down 4 of 8 threes to chip in 19 points. With both Ish Smith and Isaiah Canaan sidelined, we saw the return of PointKarr, as college power forward JaKarr Sampson was back as the starting point guard. Sampson tallied 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists, but also sported a game-worst -23 plus/minus, as he struggled to defend a vintage performance from Derrick Rose.
Behind the ever-consistent play of Pau Gasol (game-highs of 24 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 blocks), the Sixers regained control in the second half. Still, the Sixers never let Chicago get so much as a single double-digit lead, always hanging around, always fighting.
Down the stretch though, it was Rose who proved to be the hammer to nail down a Bulls victory. Philadelphia had the Chicago lead down to just 3 points with a minute left, when Rose pulled out a move reminiscent of his MVP days. He drove hard to his left, spinning back across the lane and finishing with his right hand against a back-pedaling JaKarr Sampson. It was only 2 points, but symbolically a very demoralizing two, having both extended the advantage back to two possessions and showing that he could just about score at ease if he needed to do so. Rose played 28 minutes, the most in his three games back from his most recent injury, finishing with 22 points 6 rebounds, 8 assists, and 3 steals.
As all losses have these days for the Sixers, there was silver lining. Philadelphia has clinched at least the 3rd-worst record in the league. Maybe either the Knicks or Wolves could win their final two games? It’s possible, right? Yeah, I didn’t really think so either. In other draft pick races, the Sixers really need the Thunder to beat Indiana today. Not only would that help preserve the slim chance of the Thunder catching Washington and the Sixers getting the OKC pick, but Indiana is the best hope for Miami to rise back out of the 10-spot, ceding the Heat pick to Philadelphia.
Nevertheless, no matter what happens in other action around the league and next month’s draft lottery, I’ll settle for 2 more efforts from the Sixers like we saw Saturday night. You pulled me back in Sixers, don’t make me wish I was still out.
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