National Basketball Association
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Chicago 89, Philadelphia 80
When: 8:00 PM ET, Saturday, March 17, 2012
Where: United Center, Chicago, Illinois
Officials: #75 Eric Dalen, #7 Kevin Fehr, #38 Michael Smith
Attendance: 22225

BULLS 89, 76ERS 80: C.J. Watson had a team-high 20 points and Joakim Noah had a double-double to lead host Chicago over Philadelphia on Saturday without MVP Derrick Rose.

Rose sat out his third consecutive game with a strained groin injury and was seen struggling with a noticeable limp at a 75-minute walkthrough before the game.

The Bulls dominated on the glass, outrebounding the 76ers 53-39. Noah led Chicago with 11 boards to go along with 13 points.

The Sixers opened the game on 13-2 run and held a 44-38 advantage at the half. Watson caught fire in the third quarter in dropping 10 points, including two 3-pointers, to give the Bulls a 64-59 lead heading into the final frame. Philadelphia couldn't muster the firepower to find its way back.

Jrue Holiday had a game-high 30 points for the Sixers, who have lost three straight.

Chicago improved to 20-0 when holding opponents to fewer than 90 points.

Sixers center Spencer Hawes returned after resting his sore Achilles on Friday and had 10 points and seven rebounds.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The NBA's all-time leading scorer, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and baseball Hall of Famer Dave Winfield were in attendance and received a warm reception from the Chicago crowd in the fourth quarter. … The 76ers haven’t taken a season series vs. the Bulls since going 3-1 in 2007-08. … The Bulls are 9-4 in games played without Rose this season. … The Bulls donned green jerseys in celebration of St. Patrick's Day.
Top Game Performances
 
Philadelphia   Chicago
Jrue Holiday 30 Scoring C.J. Watson 20
Jrue Holiday 5 Assists Taj Gibson 4
Spencer Hawes 7 Rebounds Joakim Noah 11
Jrue Holiday 3 Free Throws Made Joakim Noah 7
Andre Iguodala 2 Steals Omer Asik 1
Elton Brand 1 Blocks Carlos Boozer 2
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Philadelphia 80 41.8 3-13 11-15 16 39 1 8 13
Chicago 89 40.3 6-21 21-31 15 53 8 6 15
Upcoming Games
  • Chicago will play their next game on the road against Orlando. The Bulls have a W/L % of .000 after a win and .000 after a loss.
  • Philadelphia will play their next game on the road against Charlotte. The 76ers have a W/L % of .000 after a win and .000 after a loss.