Silver Lining

Two games—I knew it was too much to ask. Joel Embiid was back for the 76ers on Tuesday, which translated into a 110-97 loss for Billy Donovan and his Bulls. Trust me, the score wasn’t anywhere near as close as that. Then, last night at the “Gah-den,” the visitors sleep-walked through the second half against the Knicks, getting outscored 65-45 on their way to a 116-100 loss. Wake up, guys. At least there’s one silver lining, for the 76ers if not the Bulls. Nobody for Philadelphia played more than Joel Embiid, who logged 31 minutes (good for 31 points, BTW). But good ol’ Tom Thibodeau, ex-Bulls head coach now running the Knicks (and I mean that in the literal sense, as in “into the ground”), doesn’t understand the meaning of “rest.” Not when four of his starters logged a minimum of 34 minutes, with guard Jalen Brunson and forward Julius Randle both staying around for 38 in a game that stopped being in doubt halfway through the fourth quarter. How do you say “gassed”? I have a feeling Thibodeau and company will know how come spring.