Sixers keep bouncing back

No matter how low the 76ers drop, they never stay down for long.

One day after losing an epically bad home game to the Sacramento Kings, the Sixers stepped onto the United Center court - where the Chicago Bulls hadn't lost in 14 games - and defeated the Eastern Conference's best team.

The Sixers (38-36) haven't lost three games in a row since Nov. 26.

On Monday night, they forced MVP candidate Derrick Rose into 10 turnovers, led by as many as 23 points, and won the game, 97-85, in front of a sellout crowd.

Sixers coach Doug Collins said his team won Monday's game during its morning meeting.

"We talked about what we believe in, how we do things, and we're not going to waver from it," Collins related. "Guys responded."

As they have all season.

The Sixers flew home from Chicago immediately after Monday's game, but did not practice Tuesday. They will play the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night at the Wells Fargo Center.

With only eight games remaining in the regular season, the Sixers appear entrenched in the East's sixth playoff spot. Their first-round playoff opponent, should they hold that seed, likely would be either the Miami Heat or the Boston Celtics.

"Our guys should know that we should be capable of playing against anybody and do a good job," Collins said after Monday's game.

The Sixers defeated the Bulls with the help of a last-minute offensive adjustment by Collins, who said he noticed a gap in Chicago's defense while watching tape. Before the game, Collins diagrammed a play that involved getting center Spencer Hawes to the middle of the floor for open midrange jumpers. Hawes knocked down a couple early and three more toward the end of the fourth quarter.

Sixers reserve forward Thaddeus Young, as quick and springy as he's been this season, bounced off the bench for 15 first-half points and finished the game with 21.

"We all chipped in; it was a team effort," said power forward Elton Brand, who scored 13 points. "Spencer Hawes steps up and played great. Thaddeus Young plays well. We have a team; it's not one, two, three guys. We have a good unit."

The Sixers have beaten the Bulls twice in a row since the teams' first meeting in December, when the Bulls handed the Sixers their worst defeat of the season, 121-76.

"We definitely wanted to come out and win this game because of the last game we lost down there," Rose explained. "If we could play them again, we'll definitely do it. I know I want to, but we'll have to see."

Motivated. Wednesday's opponent, Houston, is fighting for its playoff life. The Rockets are two games out of the Western Conference's final playoff spot.