76ers at Bulls
THE STORY: The Philadelphia 76ers travel to Chicago for the third and final meeting with the Bulls on Saturday. The teams have split the season series and are both playing the second game of a back-to-back. Philadelphia is 7-4 in the latter half of back-to-backs and Chicago is 10-3. The 76ers haven’t taken a season series vs. the Bulls since going 3-1 in 2007-08. Philadelphia handed Chicago one of its worst losses of the season 98-82 on Feb. 1.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, Comcast (Philadelphia), WGN (Chicago)
ABOUT THE 76ERS (25-19): The Sixers have lost two straight and hold a 1 1/2-game lead over the Boston Celtics in the Atlantic Division. Philadelphia began the season 7-4 on the road but has gone 2-6 since. Guard Evan Turner has thrived since being inserted into the starting lineup, averaging 17 points on 53.1 percent shooting in the last six games. Center Spencer Hawes is expected to play after he rested his sore Achilles on Friday.
ABOUT THE BULLS (36-10): The Bulls hold a 2 ½-game lead over the Miami Heat in the East and dropped a 100-89 decision to Portland on Friday. Chicago was playing its second consecutive game without point guard Derrick Rose, who has a strained groin. The Bulls have lost 73 man-games to injury in 47 contests. Chicago is 11-2 in its last 13 games and is in danger of dropping consecutive regular-season contests for the first time since Feb. 5-7, 2011. The Bulls haven’t dropped back-to-back games at the United Center since a five-game slide March 1-9, 2010.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. The Bulls are 8-4 in games played without Rose this season.
2. Chicago is 19-0 when holding an opponent to less than 90 points.
3. Philadelphia is 11-2 when scoring 100 or more points and 0-7 when giving up 100 or more points.