Sixers dominant in win over Bulls

SIXERS COACH Doug Collins has a dilemma that every other NBA coach would love to have. Collins' team struggles with its intensity when it gets huge leads in the fourth quarter.

Yes, things are going that well for the Sixers right now.

Last night in front of a noisy, near-sellout crowd at the Wells Fargo Center against the Chicago Bulls, the team with the best record in the Eastern Conference, the Sixers built another huge lead with a dominating third quarter and rode it to a 98-82 win. They improved to 16-6, including 12-2 at home.

"I've always been a big third-quarter guy from my TV days," Collins said. "I've seen teams come out in third quarters and not warm up properly and all, and I just think that if you can get a big hit in that first 5 or 6 minutes, it can change the whole game, and so we talked about that. Let's come out and let's get off to a good start."

A five-point Sixers lead at the half, in which reigning MVP Derrick Rose had a hand in 28 of the Bulls' 44 points, turned into a 20-point advantage after three as the Sixers held the Bulls to 3-for-16 shooting, turned them over six times and limited them to only 11 points. Collins seemed a bit uncomfortable on the sideline when the Bulls started creeping closer in the fourth, cutting the lead to 12 a couple of times, but Rose never got off the bench in the final quarter as coach Tom Thibodeau decided to rest four of his five starters for the final 12 minutes.

"Our starters were so lethargic in the third, quite honestly, if we had gotten it closer, I was going to finish with the group we had in there," Thibodeau said. "The group that was out there were the ones fighting to get us out of the hole. So, that's basically the reason why the starters were sitting."

Rose finished his night early, but still managed to gather 18 points and six assists. Certainly not the kind of game he's used to, though, especially after averaging 34.3 points over his previous three games.

"We were out there sluggish," said Rose, whose team fell to 18-6 and is mired in the middle of a nine-game road trip. "The energy wasn't there. I really can't explain it. We played a messed-up game. We rubbed off on everyone else. This is something we're not going to forget. I know I'm not."

If there is any doubt how confident the Sixers are becoming, three plays in the third quarter by forward Andre Iguodala drove home the point.

After Tony Battie blocked a short jumper by Rose and Elton Brand corralled the rebound, he found a streaking Iguodala, who drove the left side of the lane, scooped the ball with his right hand and threw down a monstrous windmill dunk that electrified the crowd. The fans roared even louder when Iguodala swished a three-pointer only 30 seconds later to pump the lead up to 10.

The third play occurred a bit later when Iguodala pilfered the ball from Ronnie Brewer, dribbled down the right side of the court when, at about the foul line extension, he faked a behind-the-back pass, took a dribble and shoveled a nifty pass to Jrue Holiday, who nailed a 17-footer. The rout was officially on.

"That gets us pumped up," said rookie center Lavoy Allen, who came off the bench and collected a career-high 15 points to go with six rebounds. "The guys on the bench, we were all going wild. It really helps us out."

Iguodala scored 19 points, grabbed nine rebounds, dealt four assists and had two steals and a block to lead the Sixers. Over the last three games, he is averaging 14.3 points and 10 rebounds and has shot 54.8 percent from the floor.

"I think it was a very good defensive game on both ends. We were just able to create turnovers and get out on the break and not make it a halfcourt game," said Iguodala, whose team forced 17 Bulls turnovers, which led to 29 points. "When teams like that bring that defensive intensity towards us, I think we kind of do a good job of countering, bringing the same kind of intensity. This was a good game for us in front of our home crowd.

"We were just trying to set the tone in the third. I see a few things in the first half and I'm able to adjust and kind of figure the other team out. I like playing the Bulls. I think they have a really good organization, and they really play hard. You've got to be ready to play against them. They're not the No. 1 team in the league for nothing."

If the Bulls are indeed what Iguodala says they are, then how far below that lofty status are the Sixers right now? It is a question no one seems to want to answer. Their mentality is just trying to win each and every game in front of them.

"They are a great team that can go out and get wins by 20 or 30 each and every night," said Thaddeus Young, who scored 19. "We just had to come out and play and show we were just as good as they are. We wanted to compete and show we're on the same level."

As the game ended, the fans booed. Another basket would have ensured free burgers. Instead, Jrue Holiday (17 points, five assists) held the ball and the boos rained down - in jest, of course.

It is one of the luxuries of being a Sixers fan right now.

The Sixers are allowing only 74.3 points in the past four games . . . They had 26 assists on 40 baskets, led by Lou Williams' six . . . Elton Brand had seven points. Oddly, the team is 8-0 when he doesn't score in double figures.