There are 12 games of action tonight as the NBA hits its final gear of the regular season. Tipping off at 7:00 p.m. ET in an Eastern Conference clash, the Chicago Bulls will face off against the Philadelphia 76ers.
This is the third and final matchup between these two teams this season, with the Bulls picking up victories in each of the first two games. Currently, these teams sit in seventh and 12th place in the Eastern Conference, with the Sixers hoping to make a final playoff push as they return to full strength.
Looking at the odds for tonight’s matchup, the 76ers enter as 6.5-point favorites and hold -248 odds on the Moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Bulls hold +200 odds of getting the outright victory with the game total set at 240.5 points.
This article will look at a preview and prediction for this Wednesday night matchup.
Bulls vs. 76ers preview, prediction
The Chicago Bulls hold a 29-42 record on the season, which slots them in 12th place in the Eastern Conference. They are coming off a victory over the Rockets in the previous game, but have lost 17 of their last 22. On the season, Chicago has gone 34-37 against the spread, and the game total has remained under in 38 of their 71 games played.
After a hot start to the season, the Bulls elected to make some major roster changes. They lean on a youthful guard-oriented roster and will be faced with some more significant decisions this summer. Noa Essengue and Zach Collins have been ruled out for the season, while Jaden Ivey will miss tonight’s game. Anfernee Simons is listed as doubtful, while Guerschon Yabusele and Isaac Okoro are each questionable . Of the available players, Josh Giddey headlines the production with 17.5 points, 9.1 assists, and 8.3 rebounds per game. Matas Buzelis has shown some encouraging signs of development, adding 16.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, while Collin Sexton adds 16.1 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists across his first 15 games with the organization. Jalen Smith, Tre Jones, Patrick Williams, Rob Dillingham, and Leonard Miller each also play notable roles.
As a team, the Bulls are scoring 116.0 points per game, which ranks 13th in the NBA. They also rank 24th in offensive rating, 15th in field goal percentage, and eighth in three-point percentage. Defensively, opponents are scoring 120.3 points per game, which is the fifth-worst rate in the league. Chicago also ranks 23rd in defensive rating, 20th in opponents’ field goal percentage, and 24th in opponents’ three-point percentage.
The Philadelphia 76ers have climbed to seventh place in the Eastern Conference with a 39-33 overall record. They are looking to bounce back from a loss to the Thunder in the previous game, but they have gone 13-12 across their past 25 while playing without their three max contract players for most of these games. On the season, the Sixers have gone 38-34 against the spread, and the game total has gone over in 37 of their 72 games played.
Paul George will be returning from a 25-game absence after serving his time due to a suspension for a violation of the NBA’s drug policy. Joel Embiid has been upgraded to questionable for tonight’s game, marking the first time this has been the case since he last played on February 26th. Tyrese Maxey and Kelly Oubre Jr. remain sidelined, while Quentin Grimes is questionable with an illness. While the star players have been sidelined, third overall pick V.J. Edgecombe has flourished with some additional opportunity. The Baylor product is averaging 16.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game. Dominick Barlow, Trendon Watford, Justin Edwards, and Cam Payne also play key roles.
Nick Nurse’s squad is scoring 115.6 points per game, which ranks 15th in the NBA. The Sixers also rank 18th in offensive rating, 24th in field goal percentage, and 25th in three-point percentage. Defensively, opponents are scoring 116.2 points per game against them, which ranks 17th in the league. The Sixers also rank 17th in defensive rating, 14th in opponents’ field goal percentage, and 18th in opponents’ three-point percentage.
Bulls vs. 76ers prediction, best bet
It has been a turbulent season for both of these teams this year. The Bulls got off to a 6-1 start to the season and things have gone downhill since. There has been plenty of roster movement this year, and some big picture conversations coming this off-season as they sit 8.5 games out of the final play-in tournament slot.
For the Sixers, they have failed to get any legitimate sample size of what their designed Big Three roster looks like together over the past two years. Joel Embiid and Paul George have suited up for a combined 60 games this season, with just 19 coming at the same time. To the team’s credit, they have fought their way over the past few weeks without them to allow an opportunity for the stars to carry them home. Tyrese Maxey is set to be reevaluated later this week, and a timeline will be established where the team can truly return to full healthy.
Embiid has not historically been a player who can return from an extended absence and look like himself right away. But there is still a higher caliber of overall talent on this 76ers team compared to the Bulls. Chicago has lost 17 of their last 22, and dropped their last eight games against Eastern Conference teams with a winning record. The Bulls have won both matchups and covered the spread between these two teams thus far. However, things have shifted since they last met on December 26th.
Before he got suspended, Paul George had become essential to setting the tone of this Sixers’ defense. There should be more optimism about him maintaining the level of play he showed, posting averages of 16.0 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists, with there being no injury that sidelined him. George himself stated yesterday how he utilized this past 25-game absence to fully get his body right and be ready for this final stretch.
This is a massive prove-it game for this Sixers team. If this is a team that wants to be taken with any seriousness in a postseason setting, they must look the part over the final 10-game stretch. If the Bulls can push the pace and get out in transition, there is a pathway to keeping the matchup competitive with the aging stars on the floor. However, the talent advantage is in the Sixers’ favor, and they should be extremely motivated given the context of their season outlook. Philadelphia is one game back from the 6th seed and a 1.5-games back from the fifth seed to escape the play-in tournament.
Expect the Bulls to have no answer for Joel Embiid on the interior and for the former MVP to be looking to get Jalen Smith and Nick Richards in some foul trouble. Edegcombe will be ready to run with the youthful collection of the Bulls’ guards, and players like Barlow, Payne, and Grimes can each see their role reduced a bit more in line with their talent levels. Chicago may keep this competitive in the first half, but count on Philadelphia stretching the lead out well beyond the 6.5-point spread by the game’s conclusion. Count on a convincing performance from this Sixers’ team as they look to make a statement and push this into a comfortable win by well beyond 6.5-points.
