NBA actions continues all day Saturday as we're set to bring you another prediction and pick for this next tilt in the Eastern Conference. The Philadelphia 76ers (22-9) will visit the Chicago Bulls (14-19) as we see a surprising favorite in this matchup. Check out our NBA odds series for our 76ers-Bulls prediction and pick.
The Philadelphia 76ers are currently second in the Atlantic Division and third in the Eastern Conference behind Milwaukee and Boston. They're playing very well at 8-2 in their last 10 games and they've been able to stay successful without Joel Embiid in their lineup. They come in as slight underdogs on the road in Chicago, an early indicator that Embiid may be out for more time.
The Chicago Bulls are currently fourth in the Central Division and they're down in 10th-place in the East, 12 games back of the lead. The Bulls have been decent over their last 10 games going 5-5, but they'll need to answer with more winning streaks if they want to improve their standing. They'll be looking to bounce back at home following a 120-104 loss to the Indiana Pacers.
Here are the NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: 76ers-Bulls Odds
Philadelphia 76ers: +2.5 (-110)
Chicago Bulls: -2.5 (-110)
Over: 224 (-110)
Under: 224 (-110)
How to Watch 76ers vs. Bulls
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET/ 5:00 p.m. PT
TV: NBC Sports Chicago, NBA League Pass
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The 76ers Could Cover The Spread
In the absence of Joel Embiid, it's been none other than Tyrese Maxey who's been picking up the slack and playing like his All-Star self this year. He's one of of the top-15 players in scoring this year and that's saying a lot considering his teammate Embiid is currently leading the league. They've been a two-headed monster for much of the season and even with Embiid on the bench, Maxey continues to produce with another 42 points during their last win against the Rockets. They were also able to come onto the Rockets' home floor, where they're 12-4 on the season, and put together a dominant performance. It looks as though Embiid may be sitting out another game, but it won't matter much against an equally-diminished Bulls squad.
Tobias Harris has also seen an elevation in his play with Embiid out and he was a huge factor in their comeback effort last night against the Rockets. It'll be a short night traveling from Houston to Chicago for the 76ers, so the oddsmakers are clearly taking the road trip into account when setting this line. Still, the 76ers could continue their hot shooting and come out strong in this game. If they can build a lead heading into the fourth, they'll have enough weapons on offense to sustain their scoring and walk out with a win.
Why The Bulls Could Cover The Spread
The Bulls have arguably looked like a better team since losing Zach LaVine to injury, but now their injuries are extending to the rest of their team and they'll have to dig deep into their bench ahead of this one. Patrick Williams and Nikola Vucevic will also be out for this game, leaving a huge gap in the Bulls defense and scoring in the paint. They're also missing two willing defenders and they'll need Dalen Terry and Andre Drummond to step in and make continued impacts. Drummond actually notched the NBA's first 25-rebound game of the season, so he's been filling in and adding an extra dimension to their defense with his size and presence in the paint. If the Bulls can take care of the ball and continue to hustle for rebounds, they could be catching this 76ers team sleeping at the perfect time.
DeMar DeRozan was also sensational in their last win over the Atlanta Hawks and despite their sloppy record overall, the Bulls are actually 10-8 when playing at home this season. They certainly feed off of the home crowd and they've seen a number of second-half comebacks already this season. If they find themselves down early, the Bulls will certainly have enough energy from their bench players to turn around and make it a competitive game. They should have a hot shooting hand from last game, so expect them to come out firing and trying to build a rare lead in the first half.
Final 76ers-Bulls Prediction & Pick
Both teams are banged up at the moment and while we're still waiting for the Philadelphia injury report, the betting lines are indicating that Joel Embiid will likely be out and they may have some other missing pieces as well. They're also coming off of a tough road win and an overnight trip, so don't be surprised if they come out sluggish to start this game. For our prediction, let's take a chance and ride the Bulls as improbable favorites in this game.
Final 76ers-Bulls Prediction & Pick: Chicago Bulls ML (-136)
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