Miller made one huge leap this season, from a last-place team to one that's about to reach the postseason.

Tyrus Thomas and Ben Gordon each scored 24 points, and the Chicago Bulls closed in on their fourth playoff appearance in five years with a 113-99 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday night.

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.

"We're the most dangerous team going into the playoffs in the Eastern Conference right now," Thomas said. "I wouldn't say anyone is counting us out, but we're the underdog right now. I think we're going to come out and shock a lot of people."

One reason they're in this spot is the deadline trade that sent Miller and John Salmons from Sacramento to Chicago. That deal provided a big spark for the Bulls, who were trying to stay in the playoff chase.

"It was borderline iffy," Miller said. "Everyone was (saying) Charlotte's going to make it, New Jersey is going to make it. No one was even talking about us."

Now, the Bulls can't be ignored.

Thomas set a season-high for points and was a career-best 14-of-14 on free throws. He scored 10 in the third quarter and Gordon added seven as the Bulls turned a 50-50 halftime tie into an 82-72 lead, before pulling away in the fourth for their 13th win in 14 home games.

The loss was the third straight for sixth-place Philadelphia, which is stumbling into the playoffs after a late-season collapse a year ago. Andre Miller scored 20 points - none in the fourth quarter - and Andre Iguodala added 19 for the 76ers, who trail Miami by a game and lead Chicago by just 1 1/2.

"They're tough because they're getting into a rhythm at the right time," Miller said. "They're moving the ball, sharing, playing well off each other, taking advantage of their shooters and their fastbreak with a quick point guard (Derrick Rose)."

The Sixers were ahead 61-58 before Gordon tied it with a 3-pointer five minutes into the third quarter to start a 20-6 run that put away the Sixers.

Rose had 16 points and eight assists, Miller came off the bench to score 15, and the Bulls made all 19 of their foul shots.

"We know we can win games," Rose said. "We just have to come out and be aggressive from the beginning. We have a lot of confidence."

Now, they're on the verge of another playoff berth after a 33-49 freefall last year.

The Sixers appear to be in one again.

"Once they got their rhythm and momentum, it was difficult to stop them, especially with the home crowd here," Sixers coach Tony DiLeo said.

Lakers 116, Nuggets 102

At Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant scored 33 points, Pau Gasol added 27 points and 19 rebounds and the Lakers won their fifth straight to match Cleveland for the league lead in wins (63).

Bynum, playing in his first game since tearing the medial collateral ligament in his right knee on Jan. 31, had 16 points and seven rebounds in 21 minutes.

Carmelo Anthony had 23 points to lead the Nuggets, who lost for the first time in nine games and failed to secure the number two seed in the West. J.R. Smith had 19 points, while Chauncey Billups and Nene each added 17.

Rockets 115, Kings 98

At Sacramento, Calif., Ron Artest scored 26 points and the Rockets used a big third quarter to win their third straight and take over first place in the Southwest Division.

Yao Ming had 20 points and nine rebounds for the Rockets, who trailed by five at halftime but took an 11-point lead in the third quarter and never looked back. Luis Scola scored 15 points, Von Wafer had 13 and Shane Battier added 12.

Spencer Hawes had 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Kings, who dropped their sixth straight and have the NBA's worst record at 16-62.