The Bulls were just looking for a quicker start and better defensive play against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday.What they got was perhaps the season’s most complete effort in a 121-76 rout.Derrick Rose collected his seventh double-double with 22 points and 12 assists. Luol Deng also had 22 points and four other Bulls hit double figures as the Bulls led by as many as 51 points late in the game.Despite missing two big men, the Bulls dominated nearly every offensive category and recorded its most lopsided win of the season.Carlos Boozer had 16 points and 11 rebounds, and Kurt Thomas added 12 points. Andre Iguodala scored 17 points and reserve Thaddeus Young added 12 for Philadelphia.The Bulls, coming off a 100-99 loss to the Clippers, trailed only in the opening minute. The Bulls then used a 10-0 run later in the first quarter to open its first double-digit lead. The advantage grew to 90-50 with 1:01 left in the third and 50 with less than five minutes to play.The winners were without 6-foot-9 forward Taj Gibson, who suffered a concussion during the home loss to the Clippers. He was the second Bulls big man sidelined in the last week following Joakim Noah’s thumb surgery last Thursday.Rose shook off a sore right wrist and scored 11 points in the first quarter. Deng added 10 as the Bulls opened a 33-19 lead. They made 10 of its first 14 shots (71 percent) in the first 8:40.The Bulls’ lead never slipped under 10 points in the second quarter. Kyle Korver had eight points off the bench, including a pair of 3-pointers to help the Bulls to a 61-43 lead by intermission.The lead passed 30 points during a 16-0 run and hit 40 with 1:01 remaining when Rose hit his second 3 pointer of the game to open a 90-50 lead. James Johnson’s two free throws with less than five minutes to play pushed the lead past 50.
“I told the guys that I’ll give you one,” said 76ers coach Doug Collins, whose team came into the game with six wins in its last eight games. “In the NBA you’re going to have games like this, it just happens.It’ll be easier tomorrow [at Boston]. Our effort will be better tomorrow. We were just discombobulated on offense tonight. I didn’t recognize us out there. I didn’t even know what plays we were running.”
The Bulls shot a season-high 64.5 percent, while Philadelphia managed just 28 of 80 (35 percent), its lowest of the season.
NOTES—The crowd of 21,521 was the Bulls’ 14th straight sellout this season. They led the NBA in average attendance entering the game with a 21,397 average…..Both teams play on Wednesday on the road. The 76ers travel to Boston while the Bulls are at the Wizards….Tom Thibodeau said after the game that he was uncertain about Gibson’s status for the Wizards but said the Bulls forward was training on a stationary cycle at practice and looked better.