In the second quarter of the Chicago Bulls' game against the Philadelphia 76ers, Lonzo Ball came just inches away from taking a strong, inadvertent punch to the face from Joel Embiid.

After committing a turnover, Embiid turned around and swung his first in frustration without looking. Ball was in the wrong place at the wrong time and took a hit. Had he been there a second early, it could have been ugly. Fortunately, Ball walked it off like a champ.

Embiid received a technical foul and made sure to apologize to Ball afterward.

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The Bulls and Sixers each came into this game with two of the top records in the Eastern Conference.

Embiid, in 30.5 minutes per game, is leading the Sixers with 20.4 points per game on 41.2 percent shooting from the field this season. He is also averaging 8.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists. With Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris unavailable for the time being, the Sixers will need to find players to step up and continue their winning ways. Their 7-2 record entering the game against Chicago is the best in the conference.

Ball, in his first season with the Bulls, has per-game averages of 12.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.0 steals per game. His playmaking and defense make him an ideal backcourt mate for Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. The 6-2 Bulls' charge up the standings after a huge remodeling in the summer is very promising, though keeping up this hot pace would be surprising.