Kevin Huerter scored 18 points as the visiting Chicago Bulls topped the Philadelphia 76ers 122-102 on Sunday in the regular-season finale for both teams.
Talen Horton-Tucker chipped in 17 points and Jalen Smith had 12 points and 10 boards for Chicago (39-43), which matched its win total from last season. The Bulls came into the day already locked into the No. 9 seed in the Eastern Conference and will host the Miami Heat in the play-in tournament on Wednesday.
Chicago sat Josh Giddey (wrist) and limited the minutes of its other key players. Huerter only played 16 minutes, while Coby White, Nikola Vucevic and Matas Buzelis also registered under 20 minutes apiece.
Lonnie Walker IV scored 31 points to pace Philadelphia (24-58), which missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016-17. The Sixers were ravaged by injuries to key players and were forced to give significant playing time to players such as Jared Butler (19 points), Adem Bona (16) and Marcus Bagley (10 points, career-best 15 rebounds).
After trailing 56-49 at halftime, the Bulls began the second half on a 23-6 run that required less than five minutes. Collins scored five points in the opening minute of the third quarter to get the party started and then Julian Phillips added five points of his own shortly thereafter.
Jevon Carter’s 3-pointer gave Chicago its first double-digit lead, 72-62, and the visitors went on to lead 86-75 heading into the fourth.
Horton-Tucker and Patrick Williams each scored two points in the first minute of the fourth as the lead ballooned to 15 for the first time. Smith and Williams knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers with about eight minutes left as the advantage grew to 104-84.
The score was close throughout a first quarter that ended with the teams tied at 29-29. Huerter led all players with 11 points in the period, thanks to 3-of-3 shooting from long distance.
Chicago struggled with its shooting in the second quarter, making just 8-of-28 attempts (28.6 percent) as Philadelphia took a seven-point lead into halftime. Walker scored 10 points in the frame.
–Field Level Media
