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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
CHICAGO (AP) -- Allen Iverson had the right idea when he decided
to spend this game in the locker room.
|  | | Dikembe Mutombo and the 76ers had their way with Brad Miller and the Bulls.
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The Philadelphia 76ers didn't miss Iverson and his sore hip,
routing the injury-depleted Chicago Bulls 85-67 Wednesday night.
Dikembe Mutombo had 15 points, 12 rebounds and four blocked shots,
and the 76ers held the Bulls to 36 percent shooting.
"Sometimes I wonder why kids try to dunk on me," Mutombo said.
"Young kids just don't listen. I think they believe if they can
dunk on Dikembe, they can get on a poster. We are one of the best
defensive teams I have ever played with."
The 76ers might be one of the best teams he's ever played with,
period. Philadelphia has the best record in the NBA, thanks in
large part to Iverson, who leads the league in scoring, steals and
minutes.
But Iverson missed the game Wednesday with a left hip pointer, and
the 76ers barely skipped a beat. Of course, it helped that they
were playing the not-so-proud owners of the worst record in the
NBA.
Throw in the fact the Bulls played most of the game without
Elton Brand and all of it without starters Ron Artest and Bryce
Drew, and it was destined to be ugly.
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Sometimes I wonder why kids try to
dunk on me. Young kids just don't listen. I think they believe if they can dunk on
Dikembe, they can get on a poster. ” |
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— Philadelphia center Dikembe Mutumbo |
"We'll just take the win," said Aaron McKie, who finished with
14 points, six assists and five rebounds. "We'll take it come
playoff time because they don't look back and see how Chicago
wasn't at full strength."
The Bulls shot just 25 percent in the first quarter and had only
28 points at halftime -- one above their season-low -- and needed a
free throw by Marcus Fizer with 32 seconds left just to reach that.
Their 67 points were only three off their season-low, and the
85-67 victory tied Philadelphia's largest margin of the season.
"Those guys are really solid," said Fizer, who led the Bulls
with 18 points. "Allen Iverson didn't play and they were just as
solid."
The game was all but over after the first quarter. Mutombo alone
scored almost as many points as all of the Bulls, finishing with 11
as Philadelphia jumped out to a 25-13 lead.
Chicago went almost six minutes without scoring in the second
quarter, and Philadelphia had a 47-28 lead at halftime.
The Bulls did manage to outscore Philadelphia 39-33 in the
second half and shoot 50 percent in the fourth quarter, but it was
too late to do any good.
Ron Mercer had 16 for the Bulls, and Brad Miller and Jamal
Crawford added 11 each. Miller also had 14 rebounds.
"We were a little better in the second half," Bulls coach Tim
Floyd said. "Still nowhere near matching the intensity they bring
every night."
As if a rout like this wasn't bad enough, the Bulls could lose
Brand. Their leading scorer and rebounder has been struggling with
a strained tendon in his left quad most of the season, and he
aggravated the injury with 2:55 left in the first quarter.
He and Mutombo collided as they grabbed a rebound, and Brand
landed awkwardly.
"That really jarred it," he said.
He went back to the locker room when the quarter ended and
didn't return. Asked if he'd be able to play Friday against
Seattle, Brand said he didn't know.
"Their feelings are, it's not good to rush it right now," he
said, referring to the team's medical staff. "It's good to get it
healthy."
Brand finished with one rebound and no points, the first time in
his career he went scoreless. He also snapped a 52-game streak of
scoring in double figures.
Game notes
Crawford, making the first start of his career, made a shot
worthy of the highlight reels. Late in the fourth quarter, he
banked in a 35-footer. ... Matt Geiger returned after missing the
last three games. He finished with eight points and three rebounds.
... The 76ers have won seven in a row against Chicago.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Philadelphia Clubhouse
Chicago Clubhouse
Brand leaves Bulls' game with leg injury
Hip injury will keep Iverson out of tonight's game
RECAPS
Washington 103
Detroit 96
Charlotte 100
Vancouver 95
Orlando 97
Cleveland 87
Miami 114
Sacramento 104
San Antonio 106
Minnesota 100
Philadelphia 85
Chicago 67
Denver 95
Indiana 83
Phoenix 84
Portland 79
Utah 102
Golden State 83
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