LeBron James tallied a season-high 22 points to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 127-121 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Sunday afternoon.
The win moves the 76ers to a 9-2 record, establishing them as the current leaders in the Eastern Conference. This marks the team’s most successful 11-game start since the 2000-01 season, when they opened with a 10-1 record.
While Philadelphia continues to climb the standings, the Bulls are facing a historic slump. Chicago has now lost seven consecutive games, falling to a 1-8 record for the season.
The current struggles in Chicago mirror some of the darkest periods in the franchise’s history. The Bulls’ 1-8 start ties the third-worst nine-game opening in team history. The only instances of the franchise starting even worse were in 1967-68, during their second season, and in 2004-05, when they began 0-9.
The offensive output from the 76ers was spread across several key contributors. Jaylen Brown led the scoring with 29 points, converting 11 of 22 shots from the floor. Tyrese Maxey followed closely with 27 points, while Joel Embiid contributed 18 points and 10 rebounds.
The Bulls’ effort was led by Josh Giddey, who recorded 19 points, 15 assists, and seven rebounds. Matas Buzelis also provided 19 points for Chicago, helping to keep the game competitive despite the losing streak.
| Player | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Jaylen Brown | 76ers | 29 |
| Tyrese Maxey | 76ers | 27 |
| LeBron James | 76ers | 22 |
| Josh Giddey | Bulls | 19 |
| Matas Buzelis | Bulls | 19 |
| Joel Embiid | 76ers | 18 |
| Caleb Wilson | Bulls | 18 |
A three-pointer early in the first quarter, just 3:15 into the game, brought his career total against the Bulls to 1,897 points. This achievement makes him the all-time leading scorer against Chicago, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who scored 1,895 points against the franchise in 76 games.
James was playing his 70th regular-season game against the Bulls. This scoring record is a continuation of the legacy he began building in 2023 when he officially became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
After playing the Bulls in a preseason game following his trade from the Boston Celtics, Tuesday's game in Philadelphia will be his first regular-season matchup against his former team.
The 76ers will look to maintain their momentum as they host the Boston Celtics on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Bulls will attempt to snap their losing streak when they host the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday.
