76ers Beat Bulls 127-121 as Brown and Maxey Combine for 56 on Sunday Night

Print Date: Nov 9, 2026 || Published Date: Nov 9, 2026

76ers Beat Bulls 127-121 as Brown and Maxey Combine for 56 on Sunday Night

CHICAGO — The Philadelphia 76ers beat the Bulls 127-121 on Sunday night at the United Center, riding a combined 56 points from Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey to their best start through 11 games since the 2000-01 season. Brown scored a team-high 29 points with seven rebounds, Maxey added 27 points and seven assists, and Philadelphia held off a late Chicago rally to close a three-game road trip at 2-1 and move to 9-2, first in the Atlantic Division.

The win was Philadelphia's second over Chicago in six days, after a 126-107 victory at home on November 2. The Bulls fell to 1-8 with a seventh straight defeat.

Key Points

Jaylen Brown scored 29 points with seven rebounds and four assists, and Tyrese Maxey added 27 points and seven assists — 56 points between them.
LeBron James contributed 22 points, five rebounds and five assists, and Joel Embiid posted 18 points and 10 rebounds one game after going 0-for-9 against Cleveland.
Every Philadelphia starter scored in double figures, and rookie VJ Edgecombe added 13 points.
For Chicago, Josh Giddey had 19 points, 15 assists and seven rebounds, Matas Buzelis scored 19, and rookie Caleb Wilson's three cut the deficit to 116-113 late.
Philadelphia led by as many as 12 points in the third quarter and grabbed 17 second-chance points in the first quarter alone.

What Happened

Philadelphia did not ease into the game. Embiid, coming off a scoreless Friday night in Cleveland, was well short on his first attempt, a wide-open three-pointer, and then failed to score in the post over Jalen Smith. He finally got a field goal to go at the 6:42 mark of the first quarter, tipping in his own miss, although Smith answered with a three.

The 76ers' offensive rebounding kept them in it. They poured in 17 second-chance points in the opening period, with Embiid grabbing four offensive boards, and despite entering Sunday with a minus-9.6 net rating in first quarters that ranked 27th in the NBA, they held a one-point lead after the first.

Philadelphia found its rhythm in the second quarter. James scored 16 in the first half, Embiid made a couple of mid-range jumpers, and Maxey hit two free throws to put the 76ers up 60-50 late in the period. Chicago tied it at 68-all early in the third on a Buzelis three, but Brown's turnaround jumper restored a double-digit lead and Walker's top-of-the-key three extended it to 12. Chicago's last push came when Wilson drained a three to make it 116-113, and coach Nick Nurse called timeout. Philadelphia answered with an Embiid put-back, free throws and a Maxey side-step three off a James wraparound feed, then closed it out at the line.

Background and Context

The result was a response to Friday's 119-95 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, in which Embiid went 0-for-9 from the field and James scored only eight points on 3-of-12 shooting. That defeat ended Philadelphia's five-game winning streak and its run with the NBA's best record, and Sunday was the chance to show it was a blip rather than a turn. Embiid's double-double and James's 22 points on a far more efficient night answered that question.

The 9-2 start is Philadelphia's best through 11 games since the 2000-01 season, the year Allen Iverson carried the 76ers to the NBA Finals. Philadelphia did it short-handed, without Adem Bona (cervical spine sprain), Dominick Barlow (lower back stress reaction) and Ariel Hukporti (right Achilles tendon tear),

Brown and Maxey Lead 76ers Past Bulls 127-121

Brown and Maxey set the tone, and the rest of the starting five followed. Brown's 29 points came with seven rebounds and four assists, and his turnaround jumper in the third quarter pushed the lead back to double digits just as Chicago threatened to take control. Maxey's 27 points and seven assists included the late side-step three that broke the Bulls' final rally, a shot created by James's wraparound pass.

James, with 22 points, five rebounds and five assists, did much of his damage early, scoring 16 in the first half while Embiid found his touch. Embiid's double-double was as much about the glass as the scoring: his four offensive rebounds in the first quarter fuelled the 17 second-chance points that kept the 76ers ahead. For Chicago, Giddey's 19 points, 15 assists and seven rebounds underlined his all-round value,

Reactions and Takeaways

The most telling moment may have been the timeout. With Wilson's three cutting the lead to 116-113 and the United Center crowd roaring, Nurse called his team together, and the 76ers came out of the break with a put-back, free throws and a Maxey three — the kind of composed closing stretch that separates a 9-2 team from a 1-8 one. The injury scares will bear watching, while the Bulls' takeaway is familiar: competitive stretches without the defensive consistency to finish.

Why It Matters

A 9-2 start changes the conversation around a team. The 76ers are not just winning; they are winning in different ways — with a 126-107 blowout of these same Bulls, a gritty road win in Detroit sealed by a late block, and now a 127-121 road victory in which they answered every Chicago run. The best start since 2000-01 is the foundation of a season in which Philadelphia can aim at the top of the Eastern Conference rather than merely a playoff place.

What Happens Next

The 76ers return home to host the Boston Celtics on Tuesday, November 10, at 8:00 p.m. ET — a measuring-stick game against one of the East's traditional powers and the biggest test of the young season so far. The Bulls stay home to host the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, November 11, at 8:00 p.m. ET, looking for a first home win and an end to a seven-game losing streak.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the final score of 76ers vs Bulls? The Philadelphia 76ers beat the Chicago Bulls 127-121 on Sunday, November 8, 2026, in Chicago.

Who led the 76ers in scoring? Jaylen Brown scored a team-high 29 points, and Tyrese Maxey added 27 points and seven assists. The pair combined for 56 points.

What is the 76ers' record after the win? Philadelphia improved to 9-2, its best start through 11 games since the 2000-01 season, and first in the Atlantic Division.

How did the Bulls lose their seventh straight game? Chicago cut a 12-point deficit to 116-113 late, but Philadelphia closed it out at the free-throw line after a Nick Nurse timeout.

When do the 76ers play next? Philadelphia hosts the Boston Celtics on Tuesday, November 10, at 8:00 p.m. ET. The Bulls host the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, November 11.