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Final Score: Bulls beat Sixers 114-107. A win is a win, right?

It took WAY more than it should've, but at least the Bulls won tonight. And hey, that Derrick Rose guy looked pretty good, too.

By Chris Terzic
Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

The Bulls should've come out and won by 20 points tonight. Sure, they won 114-107. But they should've won comfortably. The Philadelphia 76ers had no business being in this game. With the playoffs right around the corner and Toronto winning tonight, which keeps the Bulls in the No. 4 seed, Chicago hasn't exactly inspired the hopes of many. Like, look at the starting lineup the Sixers trotted out tonight:


The Sixers hilariously played without a point guard for the entire game (both Ish Smith and Isaiah Canaan were out tonight), starting four players 6-foot-9 or taller. The no point guard move, while undoubtedly bold -- new movement for the analytics crowd? -- surprisingly didn't hurt them too badly. Philly playing without a point guard that would meet traditional standards is presumably the best tank move they've got. Well, unless they send a scout to my local LA Fitness and start employing some of the superstars there. And yet, they hung right in the game. I, for one, would never question the Sixers' effort.

The Bulls were only up two points after one quarter. Mostly because they (looking at you, Pau Gasol) didn't bother to box out. Then there was the portion in the program where it took a literal clothesline before Derrick Rose finally shot free-throws. For all the people that are quick to call Rose a wuss, one thing he is not is a flopper. Which says something because two of the biggest floppers in the league play on his team, and Joakim Noah isn't one of them.

Then, something predictably weird happened: Philadelphia started winning. They built up a nine-point lead about midway through the second period. The Bulls' second unit, which has looked dreadful for quite some time now, looked dreadful yet again. I don't know what it'll take for Tom Thibodeau to realize that playing Nikola Mirotic at the 3 has not, and will not, solve any ongoing problems with this team. Everything Niko does best, he does best at the 4. Don't make chicken shit when you've got perfectly fine chicken salad available.

And wouldn't you know, the Bulls went to halftime losing to this sorry excuse of a Philadelphia team that only dressed nine players. Had it not been for Rose and Jimmy Butler playing well, the score actually could've been much worse. Philly out-shot, out-rebounded, and finished the half with more assists than Chicago. In other words: pathetic. Absolutely, positively pathetic.

However, just like old times: leave it to Derrick Rose to come and save the Bulls. Obviously, the circumstances were less than ideal -- again, because this can't be emphasized enough: the Bulls were playing a team with nine players and that's also trying to lose -- but it was still great to see Rose look especially spry. He cut down the obnoxious three-point attempts and replaced them with assertive drives. It was about the only redeeming quality the Bulls had on the night.

Niko only played five minutes prior to entering at the 2:04 mark in the third quarter. Tony Snell was no where to be found besides one time where cameras cut to him on the bench with a huge heating pad on his shoulder, so maybe he's hurt? In a fitting homage to D-Rose: who knows.

Once the fourth quarter got underway, Aaron Brooks immediately scored a couple baskets to create some much needed breathing room. Thibs actually put Snell in the game and he made positive plays, knocked down three trey bombs. Color me impressed. And really, the only reason Snell was even in the game was because Kirk Hinrich left after playing five minutes, citing trouble in that left knee he hyperextended against Milwaukee. Snell's shooting was the basically the reason the Bulls won the game. But yeah, Thibs burying Snell on the bench is totally just.

Anyway, the Bulls ended up winning the game thanks to Rose also. Remember how I mentioned Philadelphia playing without a point guard? Well, that means they had no one that could reasonably stay in front of him. Yes, Rose looked really awesome tonight and that's encouraging stuff. It was one of those rare games where Derrick drove and passed extremely well. However, the Bulls barely beat the Sixers by the skin of their teeth. Let's not get too lost in the moment, here.