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Sixers stay hot, dodge Bulls

Feb 2, 2012 - 5:51 AM Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - The Philadelphia 76ers may not have a player who averages 16 points per game, but depth has been the key to their early season success.

On Wednesday, it was the bench which sparked an 18-4 run in the opening quarter, giving the hosts a lead they did not relinquish as the 76ers took down the Bulls, 98-82.

Andre Iguodala filled the stat sheet with 19 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two steals while Jrue Holiday added 17 points and five assists for the Sixers, who got 50 points from their reserves and held a commanding 75-55 lead after three quarters. Philadelphia has won four straight games.

"That was a tremendous game our guys played," Philadelphia head coach Doug Collins said. "Defensively, we were so good. When you play against Derrick Rose you have to do everything in your power to try and keep him away from that basket and out of the paint."

C.J. Watson netted a game-best 20 points and Derrick Rose finished with 18 points and six assists for Chicago, which has lost three of its past five games.

"They play hard. They play unselfishly. They don't make mistakes, so you need to be sharp," Chicago head coach Tom Thibodeau said of the Sixers.

The Sixers turned the ball over just 10 times and scored 29 points off 17 Chicago giveaways.

With the Bulls holding a 15-9 advantage midway through the first, Lou Williams and Lavoy Allen checked in for the Sixers and led Philadelphia on an 18-4 run, giving the hosts a 27-19 lead late in the opening stanza. Allen highlighted the spurt with six points and two offensive rebounds.

Philadelphia took a 27-21 lead into the second. The Sixers shot 60 percent in the opening quarter with Iguodala leading the way with nine points.

Thaddeus Young checked in off Philadelphia's bench in the second stanza and netted 11 points in the quarter, but Rose's running layup with 8.8 seconds left in the half pulled the Bulls within 49-44 heading into the break.

In the third quarter it was Iguodala's turn as he scored the first seven points for Philadelphia to start the third, including two emphatic dunks and a three-pointer, as the Sixers took a 56-46 lead early in the quarter.

Holiday capped a 9-3 Sixers flurry to close the third as he nailed a three- pointer from the left corner with 6.4 seconds left, giving the hosts a 20-point advantage going into the fourth.

"In the third quarter, they came out with a lot of aggressiveness. We got back on our heels and dug ourselves a big hole," Thibodeau said.

A Jimmy Butler three-pointer cut the Bulls' deficit to 12, 88-76, with under four minutes to play. But back-to-back buckets by Young put the game away.

Game Notes

Statistically, coming into Wednesday's contest the Sixers and Bulls ranked first and second, respectively, in scoring defense...Allen finished with 15 points and six rebounds -- five of which were offensive boards -- while Young had 19 points and eight rebounds for Philadelphia...The Sixers outrebounded the Bulls 43-37...The Sixers improved their home record to 12-2.