Gibson has 20 points, 13 rebounds, Bulls run away from Sixers, 122-90

Gibson leads Bulls past 76ers, 122-90

CHICAGO — Rookie Taj Gibson tied a career high with 20 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, and the Chicago Bulls used a big first-half run to beat the Philadelphia 76ers 122-90 on Saturday night for their fourth straight victory.

Derrick Rose scored 17 points to help the Bulls set a season high for points. So did Kirk Hinrich, who also buried three 3-pointers to give him 773 in his career and break a tie with Ben Gordon for the club record.

Newcomer Hakim Warrick had a highlight reel dunk over Thaddeus Young and finished with 15 points. Brad Miller scored eight of his 15 during a 23-1 run to close the second half, turning a three-point deficit into a 58-39 lead and sending Chicago to his sixth win in seven games. The Bulls set a team record for fewest turnovers with four, and had 26 assists.

Andre Iguodala led Philadelphia with 23 points. Young scored 17 points, but the Sixers went 8:14 without a field goal during a drought that spanned the second and third quarters while losing for the third time in four games.

They were leading 38-35 after Iguodala hit two free throws with 5:19 left in the first half.

And then?

Miller put back his own miss and led the charge as the Bulls scored 21 straight before Young hit 1 of 2 free throws with 35 seconds left. Miller added a layup, hit 2 of 3 free throws after getting fouled on a 3 and buried two more foul shots.

And after Young’s free throw, Rose drove for a layup in closing seconds to make it a 19-point game at halftime, and he started the third with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. Hinrich then hit one of his own to make it 64-39 and give him 701 in his career, putting him ahead of Gordon.

Iverson finally hit a fadeaway jumper for the Sixers’ first field goal since Rodney Carney’s put-back with 6:59 left in the first half, but the Bulls continued to pour it on for their second straight lopsided home win.

They beat the Knicks by 33 on Tuesday and followed up wins at New York and Minnesota with another impressive showing against a struggling Sixers team that still hopes to get into the playoffs. With the next two games against Washington and Indiana, Chicago has a chance to keep the streak going.

It would help if they had an effective Joakim Noah.

He entered to loud cheers with 3:33 left in the first quarter and finished with a point and two rebounds in 7 minutes after missing seven games with plantar fasciitis in his left foot. That Noah was in uniform was a surprise considering coach Vinny Del Negro had said he probably wouldn’t play.

Warrick, playing his first home game since the trade deadline deal with Milwaukee, whipped the crowd into a frenzy late in the opening quarter, when he pivoted and threw down a one-handed facial over Young.

NOTES: The Bulls have won eight of 10 on the road after a 4-15 start. Now, coach Vinny Del Negro would like them to establish supremacy at home, where they where 16-9 entering this game. “We need to establish some type of swagger, some type of homecourt advantage by our play,” he said. “We’ve been a little inconsistent for whatever reason.” … Sixers G Willie Green missed his second game with a slightly separated left shoulder. F Jason Smith missed his third straight game with a sprained right ankle, and newcomer Francisco Elson, recovering from hernia surgery, was not in uniform.