The Bulls lost Friday night to Portland after beating the Heat without Rose on Wednesday.The Bulls have not dropped consecutive regular season games since Feb. 5-7, 2011, and back-to-back contests at the United Center since a five-game skid March 1-19, 2010.They beat Philadelphia 89-80 Saturday night.Jrue Holiday led the 76ers with 30 points. Philadelphia dropped its third straight and has lost seven of nine on the road. Holiday got little help as Andre Iguodala was held to seven points and Elton Brand to seven.Holiday attempted 27 shots, but he was the only offense the 76ers had going. Carlos Boozer made a pair of free throws to tie the game then Watson made a 3-pointer to give the Bulls their first lead, 52-49, in the third quarter. Omer Asik had a tip-in as time expired at the end of the quarter to increase the lead to 64-59.

“One of the things we struggle with is our halfcourt offense. They’re a very, very good defensive team. They got us ground down to a halfcourt game. And then I thought in the second half their size and rebounding became such a factor,” 76ers coach Doug Collins said.

Different players have been picking up the scoring slack with Rose out. On Saturday night, Watson kept the Bulls in the game. Watson just returned to the lineup after missing five games with a sprained left ankle.Kyle Korver made a jumper, and after Asik’s free throw, Korver made a 3 to increase the lead to 71-63. Things started to unravel for the 76ers as Spencer Hawes was called for a technical after an offensive foul and Evan Turner was also called for technical after he argued what he thought should’ve been a goaltending call.Holiday’s basket got the Bulls to 79-75 with 3:30, but the Bulls answered with a 10-2 run led by Noah, who had eight points in the span.The Bulls outrebounded the 76ers 53-39.The 76ers jumped out to an 11-0 lead. Holiday scored nine of Philadelphia’s first 13 points. The Bulls didn’t score in the first quarter until Boozer hit a jumper with 6:49 left. The Bulls couldn’t convert on its first seven shot attempts. Lou Williams’ layup gave the 76ers a 24-11 lead at the end of the first quarter.Ronnie Brewer’s layup as time expired at the end of the second quarter got the Bulls to 44-38. Holiday scored 15 points in the first half for the 76ers. Watson and Gibson led the Bulls with eight apiece.

NOTES—The Bulls wore green uniforms in honor of St. Patrick’s Day….Former Bull Andres Nocioni did not make the trip with the 76ers. Nocioni was with the 76ers in last night’s 84-78 loss to Miami, but did not play. According to a 76ers spokesman, Nocioni is still on the active roster, but the team is allowing him to explore other options. “His official status is that I don’t know if the paperwork is done, but we’ve worked out a deal with him to allow him to either go on with another team maybe, or if not, I talked to him last night, go to Argentina and get ready for the Olympics,” Collins said.