NBA roundup Thursday’s game

Bulls 113, 76ers 99

CHICAGO — Ben Gordon and Tyrus Thomas each scored 24 points, and the Chicago Bulls closed in on their fourth playoff appearance in five years.

The seventh-place Bulls reduced their magic number to one over Charlotte, which visits Saturday, and moved a half game ahead of Detroit in the Eastern Conference. Thomas set a season-high for points while converting a career-best 14 of 14 free throws. He scored 10 points in the third quarter and Gordon added seven as the Bulls turned a halftime tie into an 82-72 lead before pulling away for their 13th home win in 14 games. The loss was the third straight for sixth-place Philadelphia, which is stumbling into the playoffs again after a late-season collapse a year ago. Andre Miller scored 20 points — none in the fourth quarter.

Associated Press