PHILADELPHIA — Here’s some friendly advice from one Philly guy to another.
“If you go and lay the ball up against me, nine times out of 10, I’m going to go get it,’’ Bulls forward Derrick Jones Jr. said matter-of-factly.
Jones, who grew up just outside Philadelphia in Chester, Pennsylvania, did get 76ers guard James Harden’s shot.
And the Bulls added yet another victory in a season of improbable wins and deflating inconsistencies.
Thanks to Jones’ block on Harden’s potential game-tying layup with 14 seconds left in double overtime, the Bulls held on to win 109-105, improving to 34-37 in their push to lock in a play-in spot.
“[Harden] went up for the layup when he should have gone up and dunked it to try to get a foul,’’ Jones said.
Harden apparently forgot that Jones has a 46-inch vertical leap.
“I’m glad he did,’’ Jones said.
And the Bulls finally put the “Curse of Joel Embiid’’ to rest. Entering the game, Embiid was unbeaten against the Bulls in 12 games and averaged 29.1 points, 11.3 rebounds and 2.6 blocks.
“[Embiid is] definitely a freak of nature,’’ Bulls forward Patrick Williams said. “For us, it’s knowing we have guys that just have to try to make it difficult on him.’’
How about fouling him out?
Embiid did get his numbers — 37 points and 16 rebounds — but fouled out with 3:54 left in that second overtime with the 76ers (48-23) leading by two.
“I knew [about Embiid’s streak],’’ forward DeMar DeRozan said. “It was only a matter of time, not saying that was part of the motivation. We’ve got a bigger goal at hand than just trying to beat him, but I’m glad we got the win.’’
With only 11 regular-season games left, the victory was critical.
The 76ers had a very simple game plan to start the game: feed the “freak of nature.’’
And Embiid went 3-for-5 from the field for nine points and grabbed seven rebounds — one less than the entire Bulls team. But trailing 22-17 after the first quarter didn’t seem to faze the Bulls one bit.
When Harden increased the lead to eight early in the second quarter, it was simply time to get to work for the Bulls.
That meant hands on everything defensively and grinding out baskets with ball movement on offense.
When guard Coby White made a three-pointer at the 7:36 mark before the half, the game was tied, and the momentum had shifted. The Bulls rode that momentum the rest of the half and through the third quarter, answering any Sixers run with key baskets of their own.
That’s when a grimy game got even grimier.
Tyrese Maxey had a chance to win the game at the end of regulation with a three-pointer, and DeRozan had a chance at the end of the first overtime, but he missed his three-pointer.
The Bulls, who had 24 points off 21 turnovers, didn’t blink in the second overtime, and Jones’ huge block helped preserve the lead and the victory.
“We’re just playing with that desperation right now,’’ DeRozan said. “These last [11] games are the most important of our career right now.’’
