Niko Continues MVP Campaign, Help Bulls Beat 76ers for Sixth Straight Win
We’ll never know how much of a difference Nikola Mirotic would have made were he available for the Bulls’ first 23 games, of which they lost 20. It really doesn’t matter because this season isn’t about competing. Or is it? Fans and writers might have to rethink that after the Bulls earned their sixth straight win by defeating the Philadelphia 76ers, 117–115, on Monday at the United Center.
After a slow start, the Bulls played a sound first half despite not completely shaking the 76ers off. The 67–59 halftime score reflected that. As the second half wore on, Dario Saric (game-high 27 points) and Ben Simmons (19 points) were poised to take over the game. They appeared to have done so after guiding the 76ers to a 107–99 lead with less than four minutes to go.
But Mirotic already was having another solid game, and he had a second-wind left in him. Over an 18–8 Bulls run to end it, Mirotic scored six points and grabbed two rebounds to go with a steal and a block. His defense played a large part in Kris Dunn scoring seven points over that same stretch. And it kept Philadelphia from putting back Simmons’ attempt to tie it in the final seconds.
Mirotic and Dunn scored 22 apiece, with Mirotic totaling a game-high 13 rebounds and Dunn dishing out six assists. All of Justin Holiday’s 20 points (15 coming on 3-pointers) came in the first half, but the Bulls would not have won this game with or without his hot start. Bobby Portis achieved a double-double with 12 points and 10 boards. Denzel Valentine had 10 points, as did Lauri Markkanen in his first game back from the lingering issue of back spasms.
Whether Mirotic is simply riding momentum or has finally emerged as an All-Star talent, it is too soon to tell. What’s not is that the Bulls have revolved around their longest tenured player despite being a sixth man. While he’s not the sole reason they’re undefeated since he’s come back, it’s difficult to argue against the effectiveness of his mere presence. And the fact that he and Portis have put their preseason skirmish behind them indicates the team chemistry is getting better with each passing day.
Making this even better for the Bulls is should they choose to trade Mirotic, the chance of landing a very generous return for him is better now than it was a couple weeks ago. They’re probably wishing they didn’t have to wait until after the New Year to do that, but Mirotic is at least showing what potential he still has to the rest of the league. It would be surprising to see him still contributing in this fashion a couple weeks from now. Still, every positive note on scouting reports means a better future for the Bulls, even if he ends up not being a part of it.
The Bulls could ascend to the next spot in the conference standings if they beat the reeling Orlando Magic, who have lost five straight, at home Wednesday. The tanking crowd can only keep pacing as the Bulls find themselves only 6 1/2 games out of a playoff spot in the East. Regardless of how you think they should proceed with the season, you’d have to be pretty heartless to not want to see the young players succeed while also learning how to win. The sooner they learn how to do that, the better off the future will be regardless of where the Bulls pick in the next draft.
