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Miller comes through in OT as Sixers outlast Bulls

Dec 3, 2008 - 6:50 AM CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Andre Miller missed an opportunity to win the game at the end of regulation. He then took advantage of a second chance.

Miller scored nine of his 28 points in overtime to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 103-95 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday.

After Tyrus Thomas tied the game, 90-90, with a putback dunk with 17 seconds to play in the fourth quarter, the 76ers ran the clock down and Miller was short on a 3-pointer from the corner at the buzzer.

Philadelphia then came out and opened overtime with a 9-2 run to take control, with Miller scoring the final seven points of the burst.

Andre Iguodala scored 25 points and former Bull Elton Brand added 22 for the 76ers, who had lost four straight, including a 103-92 loss to Chicago on Sunday in Philadelphia.

"I thought this was a copy of the first game we played them," Philadelphia coach Maurice Cheeks said. "We built a big lead and they would come back, but our defensive game was the key to us winning."

Rookie Derrick Rose scored 24 points and Ben Gordon added 18. Thomas had 14 points and 13 rebounds for the Bulls, who were playing at home for the first time since going on a seven-game road trip, caused by the circus being at the United Center.

Rose also had six rebounds, but only had two assists while committing six turnovers and he had a tough time trying to control Miller.

"Miller is a good point guard he got me in foul trouble early," Rose said. "He pulled some veteran moves that got me out of my game, that got to me a bit.

"I need to concentrate a little more and make some better passes. I had a lack of focus so I have to got out tomorrow and do a better job."

The 76ers had gone seven consecutive games without scoring 100 points, their longest such drought since a 15-game run in December 2006.

""Of course this was an important game for us. We are just trying to get a consistent

way of playing basketball," Cheeks said. "Tonight it wasn't about our offense. It was our defensive game that won it for us."

The Sixers broke their scoring and losing streaks thanks to Miller.

After Brand scored to open overtime, Miller hit two free throws to make it 94-90. Thomas answered with a pair of free throws for the Bulls and then Miller stepped up again.

Miller converted a three-point play and then hit a jumper to make it 99-92 with 1:33 to go. Andres Nocioni hit a 3-pointer to pull the Bulls within four, but Miller drove to the goal and kicked out to Iguodala, who made a long jumper to push the lead back to 101-95 with a minute to go.

"We had to win and it's really tough winning on the road," Miller said. "I thought because we played such a complete game on defense that we were able to hold on through a tough fourth quarter and overtime to win."

"It's nice to break the streak," Brand said. "It was very similar to the last game we played them at home. But this time we had the intensity offensively and defensively to win."

Philadelphia took a 23-13 lead after the first quarter and led 40-37 at the half. The Sixers were up 67-61 entering the fourth, but the Bulls scored the final seven points of regulation to force overtime.

"We dug ourselves a hole early," Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro said. "We tried to fight back and got it to overtime but we lost because of too many turnovers and not enough ball movement."