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Billy Donovan applauds Chicago Bulls' defense on Joel Embiid on a crucial play late in the game

It took a team effort to deny Joel Embiid the game-tying bucket.
Nick Raguz|
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Chicago Bulls

The Chicago Bulls were on the verge of another demoralizing collapse in the fourth quarter as their 12-point lead dwindled to two, 106-104, with the Philadelphia 76ers having possession with only 16 seconds left in the game. 

Sixers star Joel Embiid was rolling with 40 points to his name, so it made sense that the ball would find him on that play. However, the Bulls’ defense was just a step ahead as guard Coby White rotated to step in front of Embiid and challenge his shot attempt, forcing the big man to miss and ending the Sixers’ comeback attempt. 

After the game, Bulls head coach Billy Donovan praised his players for coming up big in that moment of truth.

Great defensive rotation

“Vooch did a great job in the coverage, Coby was there for support, and Vooch was able to get back,” Donovan said.

The Bulls had just come off a heartbreaking 118-116 loss to the Miami Heat, no thanks to a buzzer-beating jumper by Jimmy Butler. With that stinging loss still fresh in their minds, they were determined not to take the same kind of defeat from the Sixers. And so, as Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey set the pick-and-roll up with Embiid, Bulls guard Alex Caruso fought through the screen to stay with Maxey while White rotated in front of Embiid, with Nikola Vucevic also recovering to challenge his shot attempt.

Finish the play

The defensive stop wouldn’t have been complete had DeMar DeRozan not grabbed the defensive rebound. After all, the Bulls' inability to secure defensive rebounds against the Heat cost them the game. With DeRozan’s board and subsequent two free throws, the Bulls secured a hard-fought win over a talented Philadelphia team.

“Even when Embiid put the ball up on the glass, the play is not over with his size and length. For DeMar (DeRozan) to have the wherewithal to go up and grab the rebound, those were the plays that got us beat in Miami (on Saturday),” Donovan added,

Chicago Bulls pull off a massive upset of the Philadelphia 76ers

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Nick Raguz
NICK RAGUZ

Nick's journey has been an exciting fusion of basketball and the written word. A former basketball player himself, he possesses an insatiable appetite for all things NBA-related, spanning from the captivating tales of old-school NBA to intriguing statistics and the latest updates from the association.

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