The Sixers regrouped after Tuesday's 23-point blowout loss to the Nets but still fell short in Thursday's game against the Bulls.
The Bulls topped the Sixers, 102-90, as they look to hang on to one of the final playoff spots in the Eastern Conference.
The Sixers (28-51) trailed the Bulls (39-40) from 8:40 in the first quarter on and got down by as many as 16 points.
Jimmy Butler recorded a 19-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist triple-double, his second of the season.
Dario Saric was held to his 24-minute guideline because of plantar fasciitis. T.J. McConnell turned his left ankle in the third quarter and left the game. He returned after X-rays came back negative. Rajon Rondo was sidelined by a sprained right wrist.
The Sixers beat the Bulls in Chicago on March 24, 117-107, a game in which Brett Brown's team led by as many as 26 points.
NBA
Inside the box score
• Nikola Mirotic led all players with 22 points (6 for 8 from three) and grabbed eight rebounds.
• Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot was the Sixers' high scorer with 18 points. Justin Anderson was right behind with 17.
• Richaun Holmes (10 points, 10 rebounds) and Bobby Portis (12 points, 11 rebounds) posted double-doubles.
• Saric scored nine points and snared 10 rebounds in 22 minutes.
• McConnell filled the stat sheet with nine points, eight assists and six rebounds.
• Nik Stauskas scored 13 points off the bench.
• Jerian Grant, brother of former Sixer Jerami, posted 15 points, eight rebounds and five dimes.
• Former Sixer Michael Carter-Williams shot 1 for 7 from the field. He was booed when he entered the game and hit his one basket shortly after.
Hughes in the building
Adding to the night of former Sixers, Larry Hughes sat courtside for the game. The Sixers selected Hughes eighth overall in the 1998 draft. He played 100 games for the Sixers over two seasons.
A coach's son
Brown was late to arrive at the Wells Fargo Center. The reason? His parents are in town and he wanted to wait out the downpour before driving to the arena. Brown chuckled at how his father, a renowned basketball coach in his home state of Maine, is closely involved to his career.
"He goes the complete other way of leaving me alone," Brown said with a smile. "For instance, 'Dario's gotta get more air to his shot. He's got to get more legs. He's got to push the ball up. He's shooting darts. It's too flat.' And then he'll be so remorseful that he said it. He just wants to let me coach and leave me alone. He feels like there's a lot going on here over my time, and it's true. But I feel like when he has something, he's usually spot on."
Splitter's influence
Tiago Splitter left Brazil when he was a teenager to pursue a professional career in Spain that eventually led him to the NBA. Years later, Bulls center Cristiano Felicio entered the league. The second-year big man spoke of the path Splitter paved back home.
"He was really big in Brazil," Felicio said. "He had a lot of success in Europe and they brought him here to play. He was the first Brazilian to get a ring here and that was huge for us. Tiago is an excellent player."
Up next
The Sixers will host the Bucks on Saturday night.