Joel Embiid can blame himself for this sixth fault committed during the second “overtime”, synonymous with exclusion.
His absence was too much for his team, who scored only four points in the last four minutes and conceded ten.
Until then, Nikola Jokic's rival for the MVP trophy has been up to standard (37 points, 16 rebounds).
In ten matches played this month, he averages 36.1 points.
Embiid, who conceded his first defeat in thirteen confrontations with the Bulls, was not relayed offensively by James Harden, certainly altruistic (12 assists) but limited to 5 points and countered 14 seconds from the last buzzer, on a penetration which would have could push for a third extension.
Chicago did not steal its third consecutive success, carried by Zach LaVine (26 pts),
DeMar DeRozan (25 pts) and Nikola Vucevic (21 pts, 12 rebounds).
Enough to hang on to 10th place in the East, the last of the barrage.
Philly, for its part, sees its remarkable series stopped at eight successes in a row and yields second place to Boston.
At Madison Square Garden, Julius Randle was on track to offer a nice birthday present to the Knicks' biggest fan, director Spike Lee, who turned 66 on Monday.
But after planting 52 points in three quarters, he did not have the same impact in the last.
He can console himself by saying that his 57 points constitute the 3rd best total for a New York player, behind Carmelo Anthony's 62 in 2014 and Bernard King's 60 in 1984. New Yorkers paid for their permeability in defense , facing the Timberwolves, yet deprived of their two major offensive weapons Anthony Edwards (ankle) and Karl-Anthony Towns (calf).
Taurean Prince (35 pts) was perfect behind the arc (8/8), Rudy Gobert bringing 16 points (at 7/9, 7 rebounds).
Enough to revive Minnesota (8th) after three defeats
in a row.
The Knicks, who remained on three wins, remain 5th in the East.
In the West, Memphis had the last laugh over Dallas (112-108), which squandered a 16-point lead in the third quarter.
Because in the next, the Grizzlies were untenable (29-12), under the eyes of their star Ja Morant, for his first public reappearance since the case of the firearm brandished in a nightclub, which earned him to be suspended for eight matches.
This sanction is now served and his return could take place on Wednesday against Houston.
In the meantime, without him, his teammates showed their strength of character to reverse a compromised situation, like Jaren Jackson Jr (28 pts) and substitute Santi Aldama, author of 9 of his 22 points in the last eight minutes .
On the Mavs side (7th), in the absence of Luka Doncic (thigh), Kyrie Irving (28 pts) failed in the final quarter with, a rare thing, no points scored (0/8).
With this third success in a row, the Grizzlies regain 2nd place in Sacramento, defeated in Utah (128-120), despite prolific DeAaron Fox (37 pts).
The rookie Ochai Agbaji (27 pts) distinguished himself within the Jazz, which goes back to 10th place, to the detriment of Lakers kicked out of the play-off area (11th).
Finally, Golden State won without shaking or convincing at the red lantern Houston (121-108) to climb to 6th position, relying on its "splash brothers" Stephen Curry (30 pts) and Klay Thompson (29 points).
