2012 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Quarterfinals Game #6
#1 Chicago Bulls at #8 Philadelphia 76ers
Best of Seven Series, Format 2-2-1-1-1
76ers lead series 3-2
Wells Fargo Center – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Thursday, May 10, 2012, 7:05 pm Eastern, TV: NBA TV
Opening Line: Philadelphia -3 1/2
Current Line: Philadelphia -3
Opening Total: 170
Current Total: 169
Opening Money Line: 76ers -160 / Bulls +140
Current Money Line: 76ers -155 / Bulls +135
Down 3-1 in the series the shorthanded Chicago Bulls, playing without Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah, scratched out a 77-69 win to stave off elimination Tuesday night. Rose is out for the season with a torn ACL, and Noah missed games 4 and 5 with a sprained ankle. He is listed as questionable for game 6 tonight. Now comes the hard part though. It is one thing to win at home when facing elimination, but now the Bulls have to win on the road in order to force a game 7 Saturday.
Only four times in league history has a #8 seed upset a #1 seed in the first round of the NBA playoffs, including the last season when the Spurs lost to the Grizzlies in 6 games. Like the Bulls, San Antonio suffered injuries to two of their best players Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobli and was down 3-1 at home. The Spurs won at home in game 5 to force game 6 but were unable to win on the road.
In the game 5 win, the Bulls relied on a suffocating defense to survive. The Bulls held the 76ers to 32.1% shooting (25-78) from the field including 2-11 from 3 point range. The Sixers made 17 of 24 free throws. Philadelphia, coached by Doug Collins, had 49 rebounds, 14 assists, and 14 turnovers. The 76ers had 23 fast break points, and 22 points in the paint. Point guard Jrue Holiday had 16 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. He was only 5 for 17 shooting though. Lou Williams added 13 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists. Center Spencer Hawes scored 11 points and added 14 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks. Andre Igoudala also scored 11 points, and added 4 rebounds, and 3 assists.
The Bulls, coached by Tom Thibodeau, shot 41.5% (34-82) including 5-10 from 3 point range in the game 5 win. Chicago made 4 of 11 free throws. The Bulls had 49 rebounds, 22 assists, and 15 turnovers. Chicago had 9 fast break points and 36 points in the paint. Luol Deng had 24 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. Carlos Boozer scored 19 points, and also had 13 rebounds, 6 assists, and a block. No other Bull scored more than the 8 points by forward Taj Gibson. He rolled his ankle late in the win, but is listed as probable tonight. Point guard C.J. Watson scored only 5 points, but did have 7 assists and 2 steals. Guard Richard Hamilton was expected to pick up some of the scoring slack after Rose went down with the injury. He averaged 15 points a game in the first 3 games of the series, but has scored only 13 total in the last 2 games.
Philadelphia is 36-34-1 ATS this season and the total is 32-40 this season. Chicago is 40-30-1 ATS and the total is 33-37-1 this season. The over is 14-7-1 in this series recently, including 7-3-1 in Philadelphia. Although the last 4 games in this series have gone under the total. The favorite is 6-1 ATS in the last seven in this series, and the home team is 5-1.
The Bulls are 6-1 ATS on one day rest, 12-4-1 in Thursday games, 36-16 as an underdog of 4.5 points or less, including 10-4 on the road, 2-6 in road games, 1-4 after allowing 75 points or less, 1-6 in road games against teams with winning home records, 0-4 as an underdog, as a road underdog, and as a playoff underdog.
The 76ers are 4-0 ATS as a favorite, 4-1 as a playoff favorite of 4.5 points or less, 5-2 in conference quarterfinal games, 19-8-1 after scoring 75 points or less, 7-3 overall, and against Eastern Conference teams, 4-9 as a favorite of 4.5 points or less, 3-7 after a straight up loss, 2-5 in Thursday games, in home games, as a home favorite of 4.5 points or less, and as a home favorite, 7-20 against teams with winning records, and 2-7 at home against teams with winning home records.
Don’t expect a lot of offense in this game. Both teams are average at best scoring. If Noah returns, that should give the Bulls an emotional lift. Chicago needs more from Hamilton even if Noah does return. No one should ever question the Bulls’ toughness, but it will be difficult to win facing a hostile Philadelphia crowd. The Sixers are trying to win their first postseason series since 2003. Philadelphia must treat this like a must win because they don’t want to go back to Chicago for game 7. I think it will be a close game, but Chicago forces a game 7.
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