Bulls get ready for NBA play-in game with 122-102 win over 76ers in regular-season finale

PHILADELPHIA -- — Kevin Huerter hit five 3-pointers and scored 18 points and the Chicago Bulls warmed-up for the play-in game with a 122-102 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday.

The Bulls are the No. 9 seed in the Eastern Conference for the second straight season and will make their third straight appearance in the play-in tournament. The Bulls play the Heat on Wednesday night.

Talen Horton-Tucker scored 17 points in a largely meaningless game for both teams.

The Bulls had been locked in to their play-in spot. The 76ers finished with only 24 wins and finished the season on a 5-31 stretch.

Lonnie Walker IV hit eight 3-pointers and scored 31 points for the Sixers. Jared Butler added 19 points.

Takeaways

Bulls: Bulls coach Billy Donovan expected injured guard Josh Giddey (right wrist) to return for Wednesday's play-in game against Miami. Giddey averaged 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.6 assists this season.

76ers: The 76ers finished perhaps — given the weight of the expectations with three All-Stars and a massive payroll — their worst season in franchise history. Paul George, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey played all of 15 games together this season. The trio played a combined 119 games. Embiid, a two-time scoring champion, played only 19.

Key moment

The Bulls outscored the 76ers 37-19 in the third quarter to wipe out a halftime deficit.

Up next

The ninth-seeded Bulls host No. 10 Miami on Wednesday in an elimination game.

The 76ers are guaranteed at least the fifth-best odds in the NBA draft lottery. That spot gives them a 10.5% chance at getting the top overall pick. They missed the postseason for the first time since the 2016-17 season.

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