Bulls get ready for NBA play-in game with 122-102 win over 76ers in regular-season finale
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Kevin Huerter hit five 3-pointers and scored 18 points and the Chicago Bulls warmed-up for the play-in game with a 122-102 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday.
The Bulls are the No. 9 seed in the Eastern Conference for the second straight season and will make their third straight appearance in the play-in tournament. The Bulls play the Heat on Wednesday night.
Talen Horton-Tucker scored 17 points in a largely meaningless game for both teams.
The Bulls had been locked in to their play-in spot. The 76ers finished with only 24 wins and finished the season on a 5-31 stretch.
Lonnie Walker IV hit eight 3-pointers and scored 31 points for the Sixers. Jared Butler added 19 points.
Takeaways
Bulls: Bulls coach Billy Donovan expected injured guard Josh Giddey (right wrist) to return for Wednesday's play-in game against Miami. Giddey averaged 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.6 assists this season.
76ers: The 76ers finished perhaps — given the weight of the expectations with three All-Stars and a massive payroll — their worst season in franchise history. Paul George, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey played all of 15 games together this season. The trio played a combined 119 games. Embiid, a two-time scoring champion, played only 19.
Key moment
The Bulls outscored the 76ers 37-19 in the third quarter to wipe out a halftime deficit.
Up next
The ninth-seeded Bulls host No. 10 Miami on Wednesday in an elimination game.
The 76ers are guaranteed at least the fifth-best odds in the NBA draft lottery. That spot gives them a 10.5% chance at getting the top overall pick. They missed the postseason for the first time since the 2016-17 season.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
16 minutes ago
- Fox News
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel delivers brutally honest take on star cornerback Jalen Ramsey's trade situation
The Miami Dolphins and Jalen Ramsey mutually agreed to explore trade options heading into the 2025 season, but that was almost two months ago. While no deal has been made, head coach Mike McDaniel doesn't seem worried, concerned or any other adjective about Ramsey's situation. "I don't give a s--- about what I feel," he said when asked his thoughts on the trade dilemma. "I don't even really go down that road of, 'How do I feel about it?' My job is to react and control my controllables and make sure that people are moving in one direction appropriately." McDaniel spoke during his team's opening day of mandatory minicamp, where Ramsey wasn't present, as expected. He has elected to remain away from the Dolphins until his situation is resolved. It's a bit surprising to see the 30-year-old not be dealt over the past two months given he's on the market. Ramsey is a seven-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro who continues to play at a high level at the cornerback position. But when you look at the financials, perhaps it makes sense why the Dolphins remain the team employing Ramsey. He signed a three-year, $72.3 million extension just one season ago, meaning teams would have to carry a heavy cap hit to trade for Ramsey, unless some sort of financial package can be reached in the process with Miami. As a result, McDaniel is simply focused on the roster he has present at his minicamp. He enters his fourth year on the job, and he could be on the hot seat if Miami doesn't turn things around after an 8-9 season. Of course, quarterback play is a large factor in teams winning and losing, and it didn't help that Tua Tagovailoa suffered yet another concussion that had him out early in the season. McDaniel's offense requires precise timing and accuracy, and Tagovailoa has thrived in that atmosphere when healthy. But the Dolphins couldn't keep things afloat with him out, and when Tagovailoa returned, they weren't able to make a run into the playoffs. McDaniel will hope the 2025 campaign is more like 2023, when the Dolphins went 11-6 to reach the playoffs. They play in a tough AFC East division, where the New England Patriots got better in all facets and the New York Jets have a dual-threat quarterback leading the way in Justin Fields. And, of course, Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills are still the team to beat. So, McDaniel has a lot to worry about in terms of getting his team prepared for a hopeful playoff run, and he's clearly letting it be known he doesn't have time for players who wanted to be traded. "The business is business – the opportunity that business does provide in the offseason is a rep to the team about handling noise," McDaniel added. "Noise is [something] that don't have to do with what actually you're there to do… Business and offseasons allow you to speak to your team about how the focus of noise is a constant battle that, [to be] successful, you have to win." The Dolphins open their season on the road against the Indianapolis Colts on Sept. 7 at 1 p.m. ET. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
NCAA issues notice of violations for Michigan State football from Mel Tucker era
The NCAA has issued a notice of allegations to Michigan State University's football program during Mel Tucker's time as coach. Matt Larson, MSU's executive senior associate athletic director for communications, confirmed the university is aware of the NCAA's notice but has not yet received a copy. Per NCAA rules, the school has 90 days to respond once it receives the Notice of Allegations, though extensions can be provided. Advertisement According to the NCAA's infractions tracker dashboard, which charts the most serious Level I and II violations, MSU self-reported the matter on Aug. 29, 2023. The nature of the allegations is unclear, and the university has not yet responded to Freedom of Information Act requests from the Free Press. The NCAA's allegation review board took up the matter Nov. 6, 2024, with all participating parties having a Jan. 21 status conference with Committee on Infractions chair Kay Norton to 'discuss resolution paths for the parties.' Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker walks off the field after warmups before the game against Central Michigan at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. BLAST FROM THE PAST: Michigan State football targets return to Mark Dantonio man-to-man 'No-Fly Zone' days Advertisement The NCAA's enforcement branch submitted "a new resolution selection request to (the committee) based on parties' participation and additional allegation' on April 14. The final Notice of Allegations is dated April 29, according to the NCAA dashboard. Previously, Emily Gerkin-Guerrant, the school's vice president and chief of communications, confirmed that MSU President Kevin Guskiewicz acknowledged the probe into Tucker's tenure from 2020-23. 'Michigan State Athletics has cooperated with the NCAA to review a potential matter concerning the football program under the former staff and will continue to do so for the duration of the process,' the school's athletic department said in a statement. 'NCAA rules do not permit the University to provide any additional details at this time. According to NCAA bylaws, Level I violations are those which 'seriously undermine or threaten the integrity of college sports;' 'provide or are intended to provide a substantial or extensive recruiting, competitive or other advantage;' or 'are a substantial or extensive impermissible benefit.' Advertisement Level II violations can 'provide or are intended to provide more than a minimal but less than a substantial or extensive recruiting, competitive or other advantage;' 'include more than a minimal but less than a substantial or extensive impermissible benefit;' or 'involve conduct that may compromise the integrity of college sports.' One of the triggers for either a Level I or II infraction can be a 'violation of head coach responsibility rules.' Tucker was 20-14 overall and 12-13 in Big Ten play during his three-plus seasons as MSU's head coach before being fired two games into the 2023 camapgin. After the Spartans' winningest coach in school history Mark Dantonio abruptly retired Feb. 4, 2020, then-MSU athletic director Bill Beekman hired Tucker 12 days later. Tucker signed a 10-year, $95 million extension that did not include a buyout clause on Nov. 24, 2021, but he was suspended two games into the 2023 season for alleged sexual improprieties during a spring 2022 phone call with prominent rape survivor and women's rights activist Brenda Tracy. Tracy filed a Title IX violation with the university in December 2022. Advertisement The school fired Tucker with cause for violating the moral turpitude clause in his contract on Sept. 27, 2023. He was due roughly $75 million through 2032 before being fired for violating that clause in his contract. The university, in an October 2023 decision, determined Tucker sexually harassed Tracy, a violation of school policy. Tucker filed a wrongful termination suit against MSU in July 2024 that remains ongoing. Guskiewicz, who was named MSU's president two months after Tucker's termination, told the Detroit News editorial board in April that he was aware of the NCAA's inquiry, Gerkin Guerrant said. The university also dismissed athletic director Alan Haller on May 1 after less than five years. The national search for his replacement remains ongoing. Advertisement Contact Chris Solari: csolari@ Follow him @chrissolari. Subscribe to the "Spartan Speak" podcast for new episodes weekly on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or anywhere you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan State football: NCAA issues Notice of Allegations
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
ESPN names controversial Ohio State football play as one of the 25 best since 2000
ESPN names controversial Ohio State football play as one of the 25 best since 2000 As an Ohio State football fan, there are likely a dozen or so plays etched in fans' memory banks, plays that they'll remember forever. There's the "85 yards through the heart of the south" play against Alabama in the CFP semifinal, and two plays from this past season alone on the way to a College Football Playoff national championship. We all remember Captain Jack's scoop and score against Texas and the "Third and Jeremiah" long pass play against Notre Dame to seal the national title in Atlanta. Going back further, "Holy Buckeye" was my generation's play when quarterback Craig Krenzel connected with Michael Jenkins for a go-ahead touchdown and ultimately winning score against Purdue. Ohio State doesn't win the 2002 BCS national championship without it. But what if you aren't an Ohio State fan, but just a college football fan in general? What plays would make the cut if we went back to, say, 2000, and started to rank them? Luckily for all college pigskin fans, ESPN attempted to do just that by identifying the top 25 college football plays since 2000, and there is one memorable, seismic play that may have altered two programs' national trajectories. The play ESPN ranked as No. 10 is the pass interference call against Miami (FL) when Chris Gamble went up and tried to haul in a pass from Krenzel on fourth down in the corner of the end zone. Talk to a Buckeye fan, and it was clearly interference, but talk to a 'Canes fan or other fans that loathe the colors Scarlet and Gray, and it was questionable at best, especially since the flag came out after what seemed like an eternity. Here's what ESPN's Andrea Adelson said about the play. Perhaps the most questionable pass interference call in college football history, the penalty on Miami's Glenn Sharpe in overtime in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl prevented the Hurricanes from repeating as national champions and cementing their dynasty. With one play left to keep their season alive, Ohio State quarterback Craig Krenzel dropped back to pass on fourth-and-3 from the 5-yard line, throwing for Chris Gamble in the end zone. The pass fell incomplete, and Miami players and staff ran onto the field in celebration. Except ... Terry Porter, the field judge, threw a flag several seconds after the play ended, a delay that added to the mass confusion that followed and resulted in the widespread second-guessing of the call (for those outside Columbus, Ohio, that is). The officials huddled and called pass interference on Sharpe. With a fresh set of downs, Ohio State scored to send the game into a second overtime and won the game 31-24. OSU fans may be a little upset due to the fact that the heading of the play is titled "Champions*," yes, with an asterisk. History will show that this play will forever be a controversial one, and how you view it likely depends on your rooting interests. They call that confirmation bias, and it is as prevalent in college football as it is in our politics these days. But hey, Ohio State landed on the positive side of this one and brought home its first national championship in 34 years at the time, so we'll take it.
