November 8, 2026 | Philadelphia 76ers 127, Chicago Bulls 121
The Philadelphia 76ers bounced back from Friday’s embarrassing 119–95 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, defeating the Chicago Bulls 127–121 on Sunday afternoon. Philadelphia improved to 9–2, while Chicago dropped to 1–8.
Jaylen Brown led the Sixers with 29 points and seven rebounds, while Tyrese Maxey added 27 points and seven assists. LeBron James contributed 22 points, five rebounds, and five assists, and Joel Embiid returned to the lineup with 18 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists.
Philadelphia didn’t have an easy afternoon against a struggling Chicago team. The Bulls kept the game competitive throughout, but the Sixers’ rebounding advantage and balanced scoring ultimately helped them secure the road victory.
First Quarter: Chicago Starts Strong, Philadelphia Responds
The Bulls came out attacking, with Isaac Okoro opening the scoring before Jalen Smith and Matas Buzelis helped Chicago establish an early advantage.
Smith was particularly effective in the opening minutes, scoring inside and connecting from beyond the arc. His three-pointer midway through the quarter put Chicago ahead 23–16 and forced Philadelphia to call a timeout.
The Sixers responded through Maxey, Brown, and VJ Edgecombe. Maxey attacked the basket, while Edgecombe knocked down a three-pointer to cut into Chicago’s advantage.
Embiid also made his presence felt on the offensive glass, converting a putback and adding two free throws as Philadelphia worked its way back into the game.
Late in the quarter, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope connected from three-point range before Brown and Jabari Walker scored inside. Philadelphia recovered from its slow start and took a narrow 34–33 lead into the second quarter.
Second Quarter: LeBron Helps Philadelphia Take Control
The second quarter featured several lead changes before Philadelphia began creating separation.
Chicago continued getting production from Josh Giddey, who attacked the basket and helped organize the Bulls’ offense. Jordan Hawkins also connected from three-point range to keep Chicago competitive.
However, LeBron began finding his rhythm.
James converted a driving hook shot while drawing a foul, then later threw down a dunk following a Chicago turnover. He followed that with a three-pointer off a Brown assist, helping Philadelphia build momentum.
The Sixers also benefited from Walker’s activity on the offensive glass, repeatedly creating additional opportunities when their initial shots missed.
Brown continued finding scoring opportunities, while Embiid knocked down a jumper in the closing seconds of the half.
Philadelphia outscored Chicago 34–28 in the period and entered halftime with a 68–61 advantage.
Third Quarter: Sixers Build Their Lead, Bulls Refuse to Fold
Chicago opened the second half with a push, quickly erasing Philadelphia’s seven-point halftime advantage.
Giddey knocked down free throws before Buzelis connected from three-point range to tie the game at 68–68.
Maxey immediately answered with a three-pointer of his own, and Brown followed with a layup after a Chicago turnover. Embiid then scored on a reverse layup as Philadelphia regained control.
The Bulls continued to hang around, but the Sixers found another burst midway through the quarter.
Edgecombe hit a three-pointer, James scored inside off an Embiid assist, and Maxey delivered consecutive layups to stretch Philadelphia’s lead to 91–81.
Chicago wouldn’t disappear. Hawkins scored several baskets late in the quarter, including a fadeaway jumper and a layup, cutting the deficit back to six.
Despite Chicago’s 32–31 advantage in the third, Philadelphia entered the final quarter ahead 99–93.
Fourth Quarter: Philadelphia Holds Off Chicago’s Late Push
The fourth quarter began with both teams trading baskets as Chicago searched for a way back.
Edgecombe scored on a running dunk before Brown knocked down a three-pointer off a James assist, giving Philadelphia a 106–98 advantage.
Patrick Williams responded from beyond the arc, but James converted two free throws to keep the Sixers in front.
Giddey later connected on a three-pointer to make it 108–104, briefly putting pressure on Philadelphia. Brown answered with another three-pointer, and James followed with a turnaround fadeaway to extend the lead to 113–104.
Chicago continued fighting.
Giddey scored on a driving floater, but Caldwell-Pope answered with a three-pointer off an Embiid assist, pushing Philadelphia ahead 116–110 with 4:47 remaining.
Caleb Wilson then knocked down a three-pointer to bring Chicago within three points at 116–113.
Embiid responded with a turnaround jumper, but the Bulls scored again to make it 118–115 with three minutes remaining.
The final minutes remained competitive, but Philadelphia did enough to finish with a 127–121 victory.
The Difference: Philadelphia Dominates the Offensive Glass
While Chicago actually shot a better percentage from the field, Philadelphia’s ability to create extra possessions proved crucial.
The Sixers grabbed 20 offensive rebounds compared with Chicago’s nine, producing a massive 33–12 advantage in second-chance points.
Philadelphia also won the overall rebounding battle 59–46 and committed just nine turnovers compared with Chicago’s 13.
The Sixers shot 14-of-34 from three-point range, while the Bulls made just 10 of their 37 attempts.
Those extra opportunities helped Philadelphia overcome Chicago’s 64–58 advantage in points in the paint.
Chicago’s Effort Falls Short
The Bulls received a strong playmaking performance from Josh Giddey, who finished with 19 points, seven rebounds, and 15 assists.
Matas Buzelis added 19 points, while Caleb Wilson contributed 18 points. Jalen Smith recorded 17 points and eight rebounds, and Okoro finished with 12 points.
Chicago deserves credit for remaining competitive against one of the Eastern Conference’s stronger teams, especially after falling behind by double digits.
However, the Bulls’ struggles on the defensive glass made it difficult to complete the comeback.
Final Thoughts
For Philadelphia, this was an important response after the disappointing performance against Cleveland.
The Sixers weren’t perfect defensively, but they received balanced scoring from Brown, Maxey, James, and Embiid while dominating the offensive boards.
With an 9–2 record, Philadelphia continues to establish itself as one of the teams to watch in the Eastern Conference.
Chicago, meanwhile, falls to 1–8 despite a competitive performance. The Bulls showed encouraging signs offensively but still have plenty of work ahead, particularly when it comes to finishing defensive possessions.
Final Score: Philadelphia 76ers 127, Chicago Bulls 121.
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