Despite holding a 24-point lead in the first half, the Philadelphia 76ers (5-2) fell to the Chicago Bulls (6-1) 113-111 at United Center on Tuesday night. Philadelphia managed to escape its defensive struggles and third-quarter woes throughout the early season. However, these issues caused the 76ers to record their worst loss of the new year.
Defensive deficiencies
Philadelphia exploded for 45 first-quarter points and amidst the offensive fireworks, its defensive performance was an afterthought. But, when the offense dried up, fans quickly remembered this fatal flaw.
The Bulls outscored the 76ers 57-36 in the second half en route to a miraculous comeback win. Chicago gashed Philadelphia’s defense with its run-and-gun playstyle which has led it to a top-five offensive rating in the NBA. Simply put, the Bulls aren’t a team opponents can take their foot off the gas against and that’s exactly what the 76ers did. Chicago recorded 31 fastbreak points to Philadelphia’s 12.
Josh Giddey was pivotal in the effort with a triple-double of 29 points on 10-19 shooting from the field, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists.
Much of his success came from downhill pressure, which he received by exploiting the 76ers’ lackluster perimeter defense. Giddey shredded a variety of defenders off pick-and-rolls, which forced the 76ers into rotation. His gravity generated open looks for weakside shooters – hence Nikola Vucevic’s game-winning corner three.
Without Paul George (knee), Philadelphia lacks someone who can adequately defend bigger guards and forwards.
Third-quarter scaries
Philadelphia’s loss marks the sixth time an opponent outscored it in the third quarter through seven games. The 76ers shot just 9-23 from the field and 2-7 from beyond the arc in the third period tonight as their offensive process stalled. This allowed the Bulls to gain momentum and set the tone for Philadelphia the rest of the way.
Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid’s offense headlined the 76ers’ first-half success, but their third-period troubles squandered their rhythm the rest of the way. The duo shot a combined 2-15 from the field in the fourth quarter. They forced low-percentage isolation shots in crunch time, which put Chicago on the path to victory.
When the Maxey-Embiid pick-and-roll lost its effectiveness, the 76ers’ offense couldn’t reach a solution. Although Philadelphia boasted three double-digit scores aside from the star tandem, none of Kelly Oubre Jr, Quentin Grimes, or VJ Edgecombe were reliable down the stretch, which was a far cry from their 125-109 win against the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday..
Philadelphia’s third-quarter struggles lack a concrete rationale, but considering it enjoyed a massive second-quarter advantage, perhaps it simply lost intensity. The 76ers must conquer this issue before it forms into a habit in games of higher consequence.
The 76ers will conclude their back-to-back against the Cleveland Cavaliers (4-3) on November 5th at 7 p.m. EST.