Tyrese Maxey scored 26 points with 11 assists and LeBron James added 15 points, seven rebounds and nine assists as the Philadelphia 76ers cruised past the Chicago Bulls 126-107 on Monday night, improving to 7-1 on the season, according to the game recap.
Philadelphia pulled away with a decisive seven-minute stretch in the third quarter, turning a competitive game into a rout. Jaylen Brown posted a double-double with 25 points and 11 rebounds, while Edgecombe added 21 on 9-of-12 shooting.
Bulls’ slide reaches five straight
Caleb Wilson scored 24 points for Chicago and closed the first half with a burst, but the Bulls have now lost five consecutive games and dropped to 1-6. Chicago has allowed at least 124 points in each of those five defeats — a defensive record that explains the skid more clearly than any single performance.
For a half, the Bulls hung with a 76ers team that came in at 6-1. Then Philadelphia ran, shared the ball and pulled away, and the game was effectively over. The Bulls visit the Knicks on Wednesday night, a week after New York erased a 19-point deficit to beat them 133-127.
Philadelphia’s depth on display
The 76ers’ win was notable for its balance: Maxey’s scoring, Brown’s double-double, Edgecombe’s efficiency and James’s all-round contribution. Teams that win with four players making decisive contributions are hard to beat — and Philadelphia, at 7-1, look like one of the East’s most complete sides.
Chicago’s problems, meanwhile, are structural rather than personal. Five straight losses, each featuring at least 124 points conceded, point to a defence that is not communicating or competing at the required level. Until that changes, the Bulls’ season will continue to slide.
Two teams, opposite directions
Philadelphia’s 7-1 start is built on depth and balance; Chicago’s 1-6 start is defined by defensive collapse. The 76ers can win in different ways on different nights, which is the hallmark of a contender. The Bulls, allowing 124-plus points five games running, must fix their defence before anything else matters. Wednesday’s trip to New York is their next test — and the Knicks already own one comeback win over them this season.
