NBA Notes: Bulls, Josh Giddey, Spurs, Dylan Harper, Sixers

Bulls

Chicago was chasing a bit of history Sunday.

A win over the Knicks would’ve made these Bulls second only to the 1996-97 Michael Jordan group for best start in franchise history. That team began 12-0.

Instead, the Bulls took their first loss — 128-116 at Madison Square Garden — as New York drilled 20 threes on 48 percent shooting.

Chicago is now 5-1.

Josh Giddey tried to hold it together, wrote Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. Giddey posted his first triple-double of the season (23 points, 12 rebounds, 12 assists) but acknowledged the issue was physicality. New York beat the Bulls on the glass. Beat them at the rim. Beat them to loose balls.

Head coach Billy Donovan said the shooting wasn’t his concern. It was everything that led to transition being taken off the table.

The Bulls will try to reset Tuesday when they host Philadelphia.

Spurs

San Antonio lost Dylan Harper to a calf injury during Sunday’s 130-118 loss to the Suns, as relayed by Michael C. Wright of ESPN. He left the arena on crutches with a walking boot on his left foot.

Harper, 19, had 12 points in 11 minutes before he went down. Coach Mitch Johnson said postgame he did not have an update beyond confirming the issue was his calf.

The Spurs are already without De’Aaron Fox, who still hasn’t played this season because of a hamstring injury from the summer.

San Antonio had opened 5-0, a first in franchise history.

76ers

Philadelphia bounced back from its narrow loss to Boston with a 129-105 win over Brooklyn.

Kelly Oubre Jr. kept rolling. He scored 29 points, including 24 in the first half. His season average is now 19.5 points. Quentin Grimes continued his climb, with 22 points and a career-high 13 assists.

The Sixers were without Joel Embiid but out-rebounded the Nets anyway. And the margin reached 28 at one point.

There were two debuts as well. Kyle Lowry played his first three minutes of the season — year 20 for him — and Johni Broome scored his first NBA points after opening the year inactive.