Nobody expected much of the Philadelphia 76ers and the Chicago Bulls this year. They have talent, but the question marks were piled high going into this season. Injuries, ineffectiveness —you name it —these teams had issues. Now, through six games, these two squads sit atop the Eastern Conference at 5-1. So, who will emerge victorious in this battle for early Eastern supremacy?
The Bulls are 1.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook. They’re priced at -118 on the moneyline, while the 76ers are -102 underdogs. The total for this game is set at 239.5 points. Let’s get into my preview, prediction, and pick for this 76ers vs. Bulls game.
76ers vs. Bulls prediction, preview
Philly’s dominant scoring is changing their outlook for this season. They have five different players averaging 17+ points per game: Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Kelly Oubre Jr., Quentin Grimes, and Joel Embiid. When all five are healthy and moving as a unit, they’ve been impossible to stop this season. The breakout performance from Maxey and an immediate rookie arrival by VJ have flipped the Sixers’ narrative on its head. Oh, and Jared McCain is likely to make his season debut on Tuesday.
Chicago can nearly match Philly on scoring balance. Six different Bulls are averaging 12+ PPG, led by Josh Giddey who is averaging a near triple-double through six games. Nikola Vucevic is playing great ball, Ayo Dosunmu is stepping up, and the Matas Buzelis breakout may be upon us. After years of mediocrity, Chicago finally appears to be a team capable of making a legitimate run at a playoff spot. Play-in be damned.
Both teams are filled with exciting talents and a lot of scoring. Who takes the cake between these two upstarts?
76ers vs. Bulls pick, best bet
Both teams will have a hard time pulling things together defensively. With the re-addition of Jared McCain to the lineup, Philly tips the scales in their favor. That’s far too much offensive talent for the Bulls to handle. As they’ve done several times this year, the Sixers will pull out a high-scoring win.
