Butler, Lopez Lead Bulls Past 76ers, NBA Scores

By ESPN

Jimmy Butler was able to move on once all the Bulls' grievances were aired.

Butler scored 28 points and Robin Lopez added a season-high 21 points and had 10 rebounds as Chicago defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 121-108 on Sunday night.

After a week of tension, the Bulls bounced back from consecutive home defeats to Atlanta and Miami despite blowing a 20-point lead.

"It was all good tonight," Butler said, "especially after what was going on."

Butler and Dwyane Wade returned to the starting lineup after being benched as starters in Friday's blowout loss to the Heat. They were critical of teammates after they blew a late double-digit lead in a loss to the Hawks on Wednesday. Rajon Rondo responded to his teammates' criticism on an Instagram post on Thursday, taking multiple shots at the team leadership. Wade,

Butler, and Rondo all were fined by the Bulls.

"Everybody said what they had to say," Butler said. "Get it off their chest, move on, move forward and win some games."

After a team meeting, Butler and the Bulls had one of their worst performances of the season against Miami. Butler struggled off the bench, scoring just three points on 1-of-13 shooting. Against the 76ers, Butler was more aggressive, getting to the free throw line and setting up his teammates. He had seven assists and eight rebounds.

The Bulls' next six games are on the road.

"It will be a long road trip, lonely," Wade said. "Just like our long road trip at the beginning of the season."

Ersan Ilyasova scored a season-high 31 points for Philadelphia, and Robert Covington added 21 points and a season-high 12 rebounds. The 76ers have lost 12 straight to the Bulls.

Philadelphia played without Joel Embiid, who stayed in Philadelphia as he rested with a left knee contusion. Embiid is day-to-day.

The Bulls closed out the first quarter with a 13-0 run. Rondo made a pass that traveled three-quarters of the court to Nikola Mirotic to put the Bulls up 37-23 at the end of the quarter. They extended their lead to 20 early in the second quarter.

The 76ers got the lead down to six at one point in the second quarter, and came back from the 20-point deficit in the third. T.J. McConnell had back-to-baskets to tie it at 79.

The Bulls built the lead back up to 11.

"Yes, it was tough," 76ers forward Nerlens Noel said. "They were getting to the foul line pretty consistently. That makes it tough to ease back into the game and get stops. I think the main thing is to be able to come back (Monday) better defensively and just continue to execute on the offensive end."

Butler answered for the Bulls, making a jumper and then, on the defensive side, stealing a pass and finishing with a dunk to give the Bulls a 92-83 lead late in the third quarter.

The Bulls' bench outscored the 76ers' reserves 49-15.

"It's the beauty of the NBA: You don't have time to be wallowing in misery and pity," Philadelphia coach Brent Brown said. "We get on a plane, go back home and have Sacramento tomorrow. I bet our bench will be pretty darn good. They certainly will be fresh, and I think they're going to respond."

Pacers 120, Rockets 101

Paul George delivered a message Sunday night.

James Harden might have those eye-popping offensive numbers, but it's the Indiana Pacers All-Star who remains one of the league's most complete players.

George scored 33 points, grabbed nine rebounds and hounded the NBA's second-leading scorer into one of his worst games this season to help the Pacers rout the Houston Rockets 120-101.

"It's fun playing against the good matchups," George said. "I get a rush and it's an excitement for me. It's what people come out to see -- me versus him and us versus them."

Those who have watched George lately probably should have expected another impressive showing.

He matched a career high by topping the 30-point mark for the fourth straight game. George made 13 of 23 shots, 3 of 7 pointers and all four of his free throw attempts. He dished out three assists, had one steal and one blocked shot, leading Indiana to its third straight win.

And on defense, George was absolutely stifling.

Just two days after Harden put up 51 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists at Philadelphia, the five-time All-Star was just 3 of 17 from the field, 2 of 10 on 3s and had 15 points, five rebounds, eight assists and eight turnovers. He played less than three minutes in the final quarter after picking up his fifth foul with 37 seconds left in the third.

Ryan Anderson led the Rockets with 27 points on the final leg of a five-game road trip.

"We just didn't have it," Harden said. "It was a long road trip. It was a tough game. It was just one of those games where we didn't have it."

Perhaps fatigue was a factor, but George also had plenty of help.

Myles Turner had 18 points and 10 rebounds, Jeff Teague finished with 17 points and 15 assists, and Glenn Robinson III added 14 points in a game that was never really in doubt.

Indiana led 33-20 after the first quarter, allowed Houston to get as close as six late in the first half and then pushed the lead to 20 in the third quarter. Houston never got closer than 12 in the second half.

"We need PG to be PG, whether that's scoring 30 or if it's dishing out 10 assists or whether that's locking up another team's best player," Turner said. "We just need him to be him."

Sunday, January 29 Scoreboard

Atlanta 142, New York 139 (4OT)

Cleveland 107, Oklahoma City 91

Indiana 120, Houston 101

Washington 107, New Orleans 94

Orlando 114, Toronto 113

Chicago 121, Philadelphia 108

Dallas 105, San Antonio 101

Golden State 113, Portland 111

Monday, January 30 Schedule (All Times Central)

Sacramento at Philadephia, 5 p.m.

Brooklyn at Miami, 6:30 p.m.

Orlando at Minnesota, 7 p.m.

Detroit at Boston, 7 p.m.

Cleveland at Dallas, 7:30 p.m.

Memphis at Phoenix, 9:30 p.m.