Bulls Win; 76ers Run on Empty Again : Eastern Conference: Philadelphia wastes nine-point lead in fourth quarter at home and now trails, three games to one. Jordan scores 45 in Chicago’s 111-101 victory.

The champions went a round too long again, only this time there was no being saved by the bell. They collapsed with enough force to drive a year’s worth of work six feet under.

The Atlantic Division champion Philadelphia 76ers were rocked by a 19-3 run to start the fourth quarter Sunday, and the Chicago Bulls pulled away to a 111-101 victory that gave them a three-games-to-one lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal playoff series.

The Bulls, without starting forward Scottie Pippen because of the death of his father in Arkansas, can advance to play either Detroit or New York by winning at home Wednesday.

In Game 1, the 76ers missed several opportunities to take control down the stretch. In Game 2, they blew a 16-point second-quarter lead. In Game 3, a 27-point lead disintegrated to three late in the game, but they held on to win.

“Any time a 27-point lead is cut down to three, it’s got to be in the back of your mind,” said Chicago’s Ed Nealy, who keyed the Bulls’ surge from a nine-point deficit and finished with nine points and nine rebounds in 22 minutes.

“That was probably the best thing that happened to us. . . . When we made another run today, it definitely had to be creeping into their minds.”

The 76ers have been outscored by 33 points in the fourth quarter in the last two games at the Spectrum--19 and 14, respectively. Sunday, they made 22% of their shots in the last 12 minutes (four of 18). They made only six of 14 fourth-period free throws and sank only 22 of 34 for the game.

Forward Charles Barkley of the 76ers made two of eight free throws, missing five in a row during the Bulls’ 19-3 burst. He finished with 22 points and 13 rebounds, but more accurately assessed his performance after the game.

“I’m going to say this and not take any questions,” Barkley said. “Obviously, my free-throw shooting cost us the game. I missed the free throws. That blew the game. That’s it.”

Could this taciturn player really be Charles Barkley?

“He didn’t talk as much,” said the Bulls’ Michael Jordan, who had 45 points, 11 assists and six rebounds. “When he’s talking, he’s motivated. . . . But you could see his batteries were running down.”

The 76ers did not trail until the fourth quarter, having shot 57%, 64% and 52% in the first three periods. The lead was 86-77 with 12 minutes to play, and Scott Brooks’ three-point jumper with 10:57 left made the score 89-80.

But a rebound lay-in by Nealy, Jordan’s three-pointer from the right side and another rebound put back in by Nealy brought the Bulls within 90-87. Jordan then made a jumper from the left side, and the score was 90-89. Barkley had already missed three of four free throws in that stretch.

Finally, with 8:13 to play, Bill Cartwright’s baseline jumper over Mike Gminski put Chicago ahead, 91-90. The Bulls, who ended a five-game losing streak at the Spectrum, did not let up until they had a 99-92 lead with 4:29 to play.

Jordan scored nine points during the run, during which the Bulls looked like sprinters and the 76ers resembled marathoners who had hit the wall. Seven of Jordan’s points during the run came from close range.

“I know they might foul me, but I can’t worry about that,” Jordan said. “I can’t be afraid of that. I’ve got to go in where I live.”

Philadelphia still had a chance as late as 1:14, when Johnny Dawkins made two free throws to pull the 76ers within 106-101. But those were the 76ers’ last points.

“We said we were going to win this one for our mothers and Scottie Pippen,” said Chicago’s Stacey King, who moved into the starting lineup in place of Pippen and scored 21 points.

“Philadelphia is known to get tired in the fourth quarter. Their bench is not really deep. We knew if we kept putting pressure on them, their legs would go out.”

All of which puts Philadelphia a game away of going out for good.

“We have to regroup and stay confident,” Dawkins said. “Things like this happen.”