Joel Embiid made his return after missing seven games due to a left knee injury and scored 31 points with 12 rebounds, leading the Philadelphia 76ers to a 108-100 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Sunday afternoon.
Embiid helped the 76ers secure their fourth win in five games. Tyrese Maxey also had a great performance, recording his first career triple-double with 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 14 assists.
Paul George and Kelly Oubre Jr. each contributed 12 points for the 76ers, who outshot the Bulls 46.7 percent to 40.7 percent from the field.
Zach LaVine scored 30 points for the Bulls, who hit 19 three-pointers but still couldn’t avoid their second consecutive loss. Nikola Vucevic and Coby White both added 13 points, with Vucevic also grabbing eight rebounds.
The Bulls found themselves down by 19 points just over four minutes into the second half but started to make a comeback at the end of the third quarter. They closed the quarter with an 8-0 run, including a 3-pointer from Jalen Smith at the buzzer, cutting the 76ers’ lead to 88-79 heading into the final period.
With 5:24 left in the game, LaVine hit a three-pointer to cut the lead to just four points at 96-92, but the Bulls couldn’t get any closer.
LaVine had 10 points in the first quarter, helping the Bulls take a 33-23 lead after the opening 12 minutes.
Embiid took control in the second quarter, scoring 19 points. He was especially key during a 24-6 run to start the period, with 15 of those points coming from him. The 76ers built a 14-point lead before going into halftime with a 62-50 advantage.
The Bulls tried to close the gap in the third quarter, getting as close as 65-54 after Vucevic scored a floater and two free throws in the first 1:34. However, Embiid converted a three-point play, sparking a 14-6 run that pushed the 76ers’ lead to 79-60 with 7:44 left in the third.
