PHILADELPHIA — Jimmy Butler scored a career-high 53 points and reserve guard E’Twaun Moore had seven of his 14 in overtime as the Chicago Bulls rallied for a 115-111 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday night.
Butler, 15-for-30 from the floor and 21-for-25 from the foul line, added 10 rebounds and six assists for the Bulls, who rested center Pau Gasol and were without guard Derrick Rose (tendinitis, left knee).
Forward Taj Gibson collected 11 points and 11 rebounds and center Joakim Noah had six points, 16 boards and eight assists for Chicago, which snapped a three-game losing streak.
Philadelphia scored the first four points of the extra period, but Moore made a 3-pointer, then a floater over center/forward Nerlens Noel with 3:16 left to put Chicago ahead for good, 109-108.
After a 76ers turnover, Moore made another jumper with 2:37 remaining. Butler’s breakaway layup with 1:20 to play gave the Bulls a 113-108 cushion.
76ers guard Ish Smith, who scored 24 points, then nailed a 3-pointer to cut the gap to two, but his potential game-tying layup with 25 seconds remaining spilled off the rim.
Backup forward Doug McDermott hit two free throws with 10.4 seconds
The Bulls, who trailed by 24 points in the second quarter, went ahead 104-101 when Moore buried a 3-pointer with 1:17 left in regulation, but Smith knotted answered with a 3-pointer of his own with 17.6 left to tie it.
Forward Robert Covington scored 25 points, his second-highest total of the season, to lead Philadelphia. The 76ers, 4-37 at the season’s midpoint, are ahead of the pace of their 1972-73 team, which has the worst full-season record in NBA history (9-73).
The 76ers, up 21-20 early in the game, went on a 29-6 run to build a 50-26 lead with 6:22 left in the second quarter, their biggest cushion of the season. Okafor provided eight of his 12 first-half points in that flurry, two of them when center Joakim Noah fouled him as he attempted on a 3-pointer at the shot-clock buzzer in the second quarter.
Chicago crept within 14 late in the half, but Philadelphia guard Ish Smith hit a jumper over Tony Snell at the buzzer, making it 62-46.
The 76ers, who scored their most points in a first half this season, shot 54.5 percent and forced 12 Bulls turnovers, while committing only three themselves.
Butler notched 25 points in the first 24 minutes, making 14 of 16 free throw attempts.
He added 11 points in the third quarter, including a 3-pointer from the left wing with 2.4 seconds left, as the Bulls outscored the 76ers 31-17 to cut the gap to 79-77.
Chicago limited Philadelphia to 5-for-20 shooting in the period and seized eight offensive rebounds.
NOTES: 76ers coach Brett Brown praised the pairing of general manager Sam Hinkie and newly hired executive Jerry Colangelo, both of whom said Thursday that it’s possible the struggling franchise can reverse its fortunes within the next year. “I just feel like there’s a partnership that those two are forming,” Brown said, “that I think complements each other.” … Philadelphia F Jerami Grant did not play because of a strained left calf. Brown said he hopes to have him Saturday against Portland. … Chicago G Kirk Hinrich made his sixth start of the season in place of G Derrick Rose.