Next nine games crucial for Bulls' playoff chances

The Bulls have been jabbering for weeks about making a the run at the playoffs. The time has finally arrived to do something about it.

Of the Bulls' nine games through the end of March, seven are against their competition for the final playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. They'll play Philadelphia twice, Atlanta twice, plus New Jersey, Indiana and Milwaukee once each at home.

The Bulls (26-38) are tied with New Jersey for ninth place, a half-game behind Atlanta for the last playoff spot.

"It's cliche, one game at a time, but that's the only way you can approach it," coach Jim Boylan said. "Let's face it, it's not like we're 50-game winners and we can look down at next Sunday we're playing another 50-win team. We're slugging it out and battling for everything we can grab. So each game is significant for us."

"We have to approach every game with the urgency we did (Tuesday against Utah) and if we do that, I think we'll have our chances," added guard Kirk Hinrich.

Sixers surge forward: Philadelphia, which visits the United Center tonight, pulled away from the pathetic pack of lower-level playoff contenders in the East by going 13-4 since Feb. 5. The Sixers hold the No. 7 spot and lead the Bulls by 4½ games.

The Sixers have won their last four road games, including an impressive 83-82 victory at Detroit on Wednesday. The Sixers have an athletic lineup featuring Andre Iguodala and rookie Thaddeus Young, along with a veteran point guard in Andre Miller, who lit up the Bulls for 25 points when Philadelphia won in Chicago on Nov. 2.

"I think their chemistry is really good out there," coach Jim Boylan said of the Sixers. "They play really, really hard. They don't take any possessions off. (The Detroit) game was a perfect example. They came out right from the very beginning and really played hard, put Detroit down early in the game. Detroit had to fight to get back and it was a real struggle for them."

Sixers guard Willie Green is expected to miss the game with a back injury. Miller sat out the end of the Pistons game with a sore back and abdominal strain.

Bull horns: Coach Jim Boylan was relieved to have consecutive practice days, which the Bulls haven't had since Jan. 9 and 10. "It's kind of odd to actually have two days where you can do some things," he said. … The Bulls didn't elaborate on rookie Joakim Noah's excused absence Wednesday, but several sources reported Noah visited his former team, the Florida Gators, on the eve of the SEC tournament in Atlanta.

Tonight's tipoff

Bulls vs. Philadelphia 76ers at the United Center, 7:30 p.m.

TV: Channel 26

Radio: WMVP 1000-AM

Update: This is Philadelphia's first visit to the United Center since spoiling the Bulls' home opener 96-85 on Nov. 2. It seemed to be a bad loss at the time, but the Sixers (31-34) have won 13 of their last 17 and are threatening to overtake Washington for the No. 6 seed in the East.

Players to watch: Springfield native Andre Iguodala leads the Sixers at 19.6 ppg. Rookie forward Thaddeus Young has averaged 14.8 points in the last five games.

Next: New Orleans Hornets at New Orleans Arena, 7 p.m. Monday

-- Mike McGraw