Waving and smiling, the 76ers dropped the Bulls to 6-3

The Bulls don’t have the 76ers ’three-point performance.

It was evident on Saturday night after 7-29 (24.1%) performance.

They still lack the discipline to play 48 minutes of flat basketball against the elite teams of the Eastern Conference.

This has been seen in three games, twice against Philadelphia and once against the Knicks.

And they really don’t have anyone like Joel Embiid.

He hit the dagger with 15 seconds left for the 76ers to win 114-105, after which he waved goodbye to the United Center audience in a mocking way. Embiid scored 30 points and 15 rebounds.

It was a message that the Bulls 6-1 start could be more than a reality.

The last two times we played them, they made twice as many triangles, coach Billy Donovan said. You don’t want to put on [Nikola Vucevic] on the island with Embiid, but we need to do a better job to end it [threes].

Given that Philadelphia (8-2) went 13-26 from the three-point range, it was a pick-poison night.

In the end, the home crowd was angry because an argument could have been made that Embiid could not have even glanced goodbye.

With just over 40 seconds left in the middle, Embiid dropped the ball from his leg and was so angry with himself that he decided to throw the hook in the air. The problem was that Lonzo Ball was walking in that direction, and the blow seemed to eat him. The Bulls (6-3) were at a loss of 54-45 at the time, and the game was reviewed. Embiid only got technical.

The Sixers did not have Danny Green (thigh band) and had Tobias Harris and Matisse Thybulle in the occupational health and safety protocol. Forget the fact that they are still working on Ben Simmons ’soap opera.

Sixers coach Doc Rivers is no stranger to coaching in chaos, but this may be his best job in directing it, especially early this season.

When you look at all the things, the mess I’m happy to call it, around the team, and we’ve ignored it, Rivers said. If I could say one thing about this team so far and its early, just about their togetherness. It’s a really close-knit group, and all of this stuff has kind of made them bully with each other, and it’s been good so far.

Some teams handle it well; some do not. All I know personally is that I don’t focus on that. I’m not talking about who doesn’t play.

While the Bulls have remained relatively uncluttered this season, they still have severe growth pains that need to be addressed in particular, staying connected to attack and defense throughout the game.

While the hole wasn’t as deep as it was in Boston, then in Philadelphia earlier this week, the 14-point third-quarter deficit was a gap they seemed to grab most of the night.

When the ball isn’t shot well, we definitely need to find other ways to win the game, Donovan said.

Zach LaVine led the Bulls by 32 points, DeMar DeRozan by 25 and Derrick Jones Jr. by 12 points.

When we get down, we decide to get more physical, we decide to run and play downhill, Jones said. We just have to start earlier.

Well take it as a challenge.