Philadelphia has won six of its first seven games. Chicago has won one of six.
And the Bulls have lost four straight.
I don’t need to make this more complicated than it is. The 76ers are playing better basketball, they’re at home, and Chicago hasn’t shown much ability to stop a good offense.
Now, Philadelphia has some injuries. That’s the one thing that makes me hesitate. But the Bulls have problems of their own, and I think the 76ers have enough to handle them.
Chicago visits Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on Monday, November 2, with tipoff at 7:30 PM ET. I couldn’t verify a current sportsbook spread or total, so I’m taking Philadelphia to win and looking at a target total rather than pretending I’ve got a live number. Get ready for all the NBA action with our free NBA picks.
Chicago Bulls Haven’t Been Able to Stop the Losing
Chicago is 1-5 and has dropped four straight. The Bulls lost 125-111 to Boston Friday, and that came after a 133-127 loss to New York. That’s 258 points allowed in two games. You can score 111 or 127 and still lose when you’re giving up that many points.
The Bulls have been getting decent offensive production in stretches, but the defense has been the bigger problem. Boston scored 125, New York scored 133, and Chicago hasn’t been doing enough to slow opponents once they get comfortable. The Bulls need to defend better around the basket and stop giving up open looks from outside. Philadelphia doesn’t need all its regular scorers healthy to take advantage of those mistakes.
Chicago is missing Nic Claxton with a hamstring injury, which hurts its interior defense and rebounding. Dailyn Swain has also been dealing with a back problem. Those absences matter against a Philadelphia team that can attack the paint. The Bulls need more from their available guards and forwards, particularly on the defensive end. If they allow another opponent to get into the 120s, winning becomes difficult.
Philadelphia 76ers Keep Finding Ways to Win
Philadelphia is 6-1 and sitting atop the Eastern Conference. The 76ers beat New York 98-93 Friday and followed with a 109-104 win at Charlotte Saturday. Neither game was a blowout, but that’s part of what I like. Philadelphia hasn’t needed everything to go perfectly to win.
The 76ers have been getting enough scoring from their perimeter players while doing a better job defensively in recent games. Holding the Knicks to 93 points was impressive, and limiting Charlotte to 104 was another solid effort. That’s 197 points allowed across two games, or 98.5 per night. Chicago has been allowing far more than that. If Philadelphia keeps defending at this level, the Bulls could have trouble staying close.
The biggest concern is the injury list. Joel Embiid is out with a foot problem, LeBron James is sidelined with a back injury, and Dominick Barlow is unavailable. Ariel Hukporti is out for the season with an Achilles injury. Those absences take away size and experience. But Philadelphia has still won six of seven, and that’s what matters to me. The remaining rotation has been doing enough to win games without relying on one player to carry everything.
Chicago Bulls vs Philadelphia 76ers Picks and Prediction
Philadelphia 76ers Moneyline
I’m taking Philadelphia. The injuries make me a little nervous, and Chicago could hang around if it gets hot from three. But the Bulls have lost four straight, and their defense has been giving up too many points. Philadelphia has been winning close games and playing better defense lately. That’s a pretty good combination at home. I don’t need the 76ers to win by 15. I just need them to be the more dependable team, and right now they are.
Under 229.5 Points — Target Total
I’ll look Under 229.5 if that’s the number available. Chicago’s recent games have been high scoring, and that’s the obvious concern. But Philadelphia just held New York to 93 and Charlotte to 104. The 76ers have been winning without needing to score 125 themselves. With Embiid and James out, I think Philadelphia may be more comfortable slowing the game down and working for good shots. The danger is Chicago’s defense making it too easy for the 76ers. Still, I can see Philadelphia winning something like 115-107. That stays Under.
Final Picks: Philadelphia 76ers Moneyline and Under 229.5 Points (target total)
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