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Sixers pick up much-needed win in Chicago

CHICAGO - The 76ers did something Friday night they hadn't done against the Chicago Bulls in the teams' previous 12 meetings: Win.

CHICAGO - The 76ers did something Friday night they hadn't done against the Chicago Bulls in the teams' previous 12 meetings: Win.

They snapped their series skid with a 117-107 victory at the United Center. The victory improved the Sixers to 27-45. This was a much-needed victory for the visitors.

They suffered losses to the Orlando Magic and the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first two games of this five-game road trip. They are expected to have another tough matchup against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday before concluding the trip on Tuesday against the Brooklyn Nets.

"They showed they can bounce back from a game that did not reflect who we think we are in OKC," said coach Brett Brown, whose squad lost, 122-97, to the Thunder.

The Sixers were actually manhandled in that game, but came out and connected on several haymakers against the Bulls (34-39). They took the lead on a Dario Saric three-pointer that they never surrender with 9 minutes, 1 second left in the second quarter.

Chicago all-star Jimmy Butler finished with game highs of 36 points and 11 assists. However, Saric played the role of the equalizer, scoring a career-high 32 points and grabbing a team-high 10 rebounds. Thirteen of power forward's points came in the fourth quarter.

He hit two huge three-pointers in the final quarter. One, with 6:06 to play, came after the Bulls closed the gap to 102-92. His second one came with 2:11 after Chicago got within 11 points (111-100).

But he gave a lot of credit to reserve center Shawn Long. Long, who started the second half, finished with a career-high 18 points and career-high-tying seven rebounds. Twelve of his points came in the first half. Four of his rebounds were offensive

"Shawn brought energy and pushed the ball," Saric said. "He also got offensive rebounds."

Reserves shooting guard Gerald Henderson (14 points), reserve point guard Sergio Rodriguez (12 points, seven assists) and point guard TJ McConnell (10 points, eight assists) were the other Sixers in double figures.

The Sixers won without Jahlil Okafor. He has now missed two of three games and eight total with right knee soreness. The center also sat out the second half of Sunday's game against the Boston Celtics with the soreness.

Okafor has been dealing with soreness since having surgery on March 22, 2016, to repair a torn meniscus in the knee. It didn't help that Thunder shooting guard Victor Oladipo inadvertently hit the Chicago native's knee during Wednesday's matchup.

"We play 82 games. It's bound to happen," Okafor said of Wednesday's setback. "It's unfortunate that it had to happen to me again. And I'm missing out in playing in my hometown.

"So, I am feeling down. Why they have to do it right now? It is what it is. Like I said, as a professional athlete, it's just to be expected."

But the Sixers didn't need him on this night against the overmatched Bulls. This game could ultimately go a long way to deciding if Chicago advances to the playoffs.

The Bulls now trail the Miami Heat by two games for the Eastern Conference's eighth and final playoff spot with nine games left.

The Sixers led by as many as 26 points after McConnell's jumper with 5:58 seconds left in the third quarter.

"We got beat up bad the last game," Saric said. "Tonight we were tougher than them."

kpompey@phillynews.com

@PompeyOnSixers

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