Sixers Fall to Bulls as Supporting Cast Comes Up Empty Again
The Sixers have a trio of stars in Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George - but when all three suit up, the chemistry just hasn’t clicked. After Friday night’s 108-102 loss to the Bulls, Philadelphia is now 0-4 when their three-headed monster shares the floor.
The problem? Outside of those three, the production just isn’t there.
Let’s break down what happened in Chicago and where things fell apart.
Embiid Dominates, But It’s Not Enough
Joel Embiid did everything you could ask from a reigning MVP. He dropped 31 points on 10-of-19 shooting, added five rebounds, and looked physically dominant in stretches - especially when matched up with Zach Collins.
Embiid went into full bully-ball mode in the first quarter, establishing deep post position and attacking with purpose. It was arguably his most forceful stretch of the season.
But as has been the case too often this year, Embiid’s brilliance wasn’t backed up by enough help. Maxey poured in 27 points and dished out eight assists, but he struggled with efficiency, going 9-of-23 from the field and missing two crucial shots late. George added 15, but on just 5-of-15 shooting, and for long stretches, he looked out of rhythm.
VJ Edgecombe, back after missing a game due to illness, was the only other Sixer in double figures with 10 points - but he needed 13 shots to get there.
Fast Start, But Defensive Breakdowns Follow
The Sixers came out flying. Edgecombe and Dominick Barlow, both returning from illness, immediately made their presence felt.
Edgecombe jumped a passing lane for a fast-break dunk, and Barlow followed with a pick-six of his own. Add another careless Bulls turnover, and suddenly Philly was up 13-2.
But that energy didn’t last. Once Chicago settled in, they started carving up Philly’s aggressive defense.
The Bulls shot 55% from the floor and hit 5-of-9 from deep in the first quarter, capitalizing on defensive overplays and poor rotations. Despite Embiid’s hot start (4-of-5 in the first), the rest of the team shot just 27% from the field, and the Sixers trailed by two after one.
Second Quarter Spiral
The second quarter was where things really started to slip. A promising start turned into a 39-17 run for Chicago, as the Sixers repeatedly left shooters wide open and couldn’t buy a jumper on the other end. Jared McCain gave the team a brief spark with a couple of layups, but the perimeter shooting was ice cold.
After Maxey hit the team’s second three-point attempt, Philadelphia missed 11 straight from beyond the arc.
Embiid’s return to the floor helped stabilize things, ending the drought from deep and creating space for Maxey to get to the rim. Defensively, McCain stood out again - he’s been quietly impactful lately, showing good instincts in the passing lanes and on the glass.
The Sixers also made a smart adjustment by letting Embiid roam more on defense rather than locking him into traditional center matchups. That flexibility helped hold the Bulls to just 19 points in the quarter, allowing Philly to claw back and take a three-point lead into halftime.
Third Quarter: Embiid Finds His Range, But Huerter Gets Loose
The Embiid-Maxey show continued into the third. Embiid, in particular, was lights out from midrange and beyond - easily his best outside shooting performance of the season. Edgecombe found a groove, too, getting to the basket for a couple of tough finishes, and George finally connected on a three after a sluggish first half.
But just as the Sixers started to build a lead, their perimeter defense faltered again. Kevin Huerter caught fire and looked like the 2021 version of himself, punishing every defensive lapse. The Sixers kept losing shooters in transition and in half-court sets, and that allowed the Bulls to hang around.
George started to warm up late in the quarter, drilling a pair of threes that helped push the lead to four heading into the fourth. But the margin felt tenuous - and it was.
Fourth Quarter Collapse
George opened the fourth with another three from the corner, but the Sixers went ice cold again, going over three minutes without a field goal. Even after a timeout reset, the only points came from a single basket and a free throw. A lineup led by George and Edgecombe showed flashes, but neither could consistently score inside the arc.
The Sixers did a decent job attacking the rim and getting to the line, but they couldn’t stop Chicago from doing the same. Embiid, as good as he was offensively, struggled in drop coverage, and the Bulls took advantage.
Embiid kept battling, muscling in tough buckets and drawing contact, but when he kicked out to open shooters, no one could convert. That lack of support came back to bite them late.
The dagger came during a Bulls 7-0 run, capped by Jalen Smith putting Embiid on a poster. After a timeout, Maxey had his layup swatted by Nikola Vucevic, and the Sixers gave up back-to-back offensive rebounds that led to an easy Bulls layup - their 12th offensive board of the night.
Big Picture: Still Searching for Balance
This one was there for the taking. Embiid was dominant, Maxey was aggressive, and George had his moments.
But once again, the rest of the roster couldn’t rise to the occasion. The Sixers’ stars are doing their part, but until the supporting cast finds a rhythm - especially from deep - this team is going to struggle to close out winnable games.
The good news? The defense showed flashes, and McCain continues to look like a high-IQ contributor.
But moral victories don’t count in the standings. And at 0-4 when the big three play together, the Sixers have some serious soul-searching to do before this group can be considered a real contender.