PHILADELPHIA -- The Bulls' biggest margin of victory this season came a little more than two weeks ago in a 111-76 rout of the Philadelphia 76ers at the United Center.

Sixers coach Doug Collins believes that game was an aberration and expects his team to play much better tonight when the teams meet at the Wells Fargo Center.

"I sure hope we have a better effort tonight," he said. "They took it to us from start to finish. They were the aggressors, they got off to a great rhythm start and, for whatever reason, it was our worse game of the year."

That performance was out of whack with the way the Sixers have played the past month.

"We went the next night in a back-to-back and played Boston great," Collins said. "We had a four-point lead late and the final score that game was 84-80. We had just been to Orlando the game before the Chicago game and played a terrific defensive game.

"I don't know what it was. Maybe it was the fact we spent two days in Chicago and it was the holidays and guys were out Christmas shopping or doing their stuff or whatever. But that was the only game this year I felt was a no-contest from start to finish."