Skip to content
Sixers
Link copied to clipboard

"Best" and "Worst" awards: Sixers vs. Bulls

    by Keith Pompey, The Philadelphia Inquirer
    Published 

This is my look at some of the best and worst performances from the Chicago Bulls' 104-95 overtime victory over the 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center Wednesday night.

Best performance:   This is an easy one.  Aaron Brooks didn't look like someone who was only playing extended minutes because Derrick Rose is out with a right knee injury. Starting in place of Rose at point guard, Brooks finished with a season-high 31 points against the Sixers.  Twenty-two of his points came after intermission. His three-pointer  with 33.9 seconds left knotted the score at 92 and forced overtime. He also scored seven of the Bulls' 12 points in the extra sessions.

Worst performance:  This has to go to Luc Mbah a Moute. The Sixers power forward missed nine of his 10 shots, including all four of his three-pointers, en route to finishing with three points.  Mbah a Moute did have eight rebounds and two assists. But his shooting was hard to overlook. 

Best defensive performance:   It would be foolish to give this award to anyone other than Nerlens Noel. The Sixers rookie  center had game highs of four steals and two blocked shots.  Noel also finished with eight points and 15 rebounds – 11 defensive – before fouling out with 28.7 seconds left in overtime.

Best performance in a losing effort:  This goes to Ish Smith.  The point guard finished with a career-high 23 points and a game-high six assists in his first start with the Sixers. He made 3 of 7 three-pointers after  shooting 4 of 15 in 38 games this season with the Sixers and the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Worst statistic: This award goes to the Sixers foul shooting. They only made 12 of 25 shots (48 percent).

Best statistic: This award goes to the Sixers for only committing 10 turnovers.

Worst of the Worst:  This goes to the Sixers being held scoreless with 1 minute, 11 seconds left in the second quarter to 4:21 remaining in the third quarter. They missed 14 straight field goals during that stretch.

Follow Inquirer 76ers beat writer Keith Pompey on Twitter @PompeyOnSixers and on Instagram at PompeyOnSixers