Bulls end road swing with 105-89 win over Sixers
PHILADELPHIA -- Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade scored 26 points apiece as the Chicago Bulls closed out a six-game road trip with a 105-89 rout of the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night.
Taj Gibson contributed 12 points and Robin Lopez had 10 for Chicago, which went 4-2 on the trip. Rajon Rondo finished with six points, eight rebounds and 10 assists.
The Bulls never trailed and led by as many as 28 points. Butler made 10 of 15 shots from the floor and did not play in the fourth quarter.
The 34-year-old Wade, in his first year with Chicago after 13 with Miami, sank 11 of 18 shots from the field and departed with 7:13 left in the game.
Ersan Ilyasova had 14 points to top the Sixers, who rested rookie center Joel Embiid, their leading scorer and rebounder.
Nik Stauskas and Richaun Holmes scored 13 each for Philadelphia.
Chicago, leading 69-59 with 6:44 left in the third quarter, closed the quarter on a 21-5 run to go up 90-64. Butler scored 11 points in that flurry and the Bulls feasted on five of the seven turnovers the Sixers committed in the quarter.
Philadelphia finished with 19 turnovers that led to 24 Chicago points.
Wade crammed 11 of his points into the first 3:38 of the fourth quarter, all on jumpers, to make it 101-73.
The Bulls were challenged only briefly by the Sixers in the first half, moving to a 57-47 lead at the break behind 15 points from Butler and nine from Wade.
Rondo contributed eight rebounds and six assists in the half for Chicago.
Ilyasova, Jahlil Okafor and Hollis Thompson had eight points each for Philadelphia.
NOTES: A Sixers spokesman said before the game a decision will be made Saturday as to whether C Joel Embiid will play Sunday against Cleveland or Monday at Toronto. ... Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said G Michael Carter-Williams, an ex-Sixer who has played in just three games this season, has recovered from a bone bruise in his left knee but had a setback in his recovery from a sprained left wrist. He will be re-evaluated in two weeks. ... Chicago F Doug McDermott, who has missed the last six games, remains in the concussion protocol. Hoiberg said there is no timetable for his return. ... Bulls F Paul Zipser sat out his fifth straight game with a lower back strain.