Chicago Bulls at Philadelphia 76ers
Time: 7 PM EST (NBA TV)
Spread: Chi -9
Total: 196
Betting odds c/o Bovada
The Philadelphia 76ers have come sputtering out of the gate at 0-6 and will host the Chicago Bulls in search of its first victory of the season tonight at home.
The Bulls are 9-point favorites in the game, and the Sixers have lost by an average of five points over the past three losses. The over/under is set at 196 for the game which will air on NBA TV at 7 PM EDT.
The 76ers have been pretty pleased with its most recent acquisitions Jahlil Okafor and Nik Stauskas. Okafor is averaging just under 20 points per game, while coming up with 1.5 steals/blocks and 5.5 rebounds. Stauskas is posting 14.6 points, four rebounds and 2.8 assists per game in 31 minutes a night.
Throwing in defensive ace Nerlens Noel gives the Sixers some nice pieces, but it has been nothing close to resembling a true team yet.
Even at the point, Isaiah Canaan has shown a lethal jumpshot at times, but is averaging under two assists per game in 27 minutes of play. The Sixers average 19.8 assists per game, paced by TJ McConnell’s 7.5. McConnell has shown himself to be a good pass-first floor general, but the Sixers just do not have the offensive horses to keep up with the Chicago Bulls in this one.
Chicago is 4-3 and is coming off a 102-93 loss to the much-improved Minnesota Timberwolves. Prior to that loss it had knocked off the Oklahoma City Thunder 104-98.
Jimmy Butler again leads the Bulls in scoring with 20.1 points per game. Butler is also averaging 5.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 3.14 blocks/steals in 36 minutes of play per night. Pau Gasol has continued where he left off last season, though his scoring numbers have dipped. Gasol is good for 13.6 points, nine rebounds and 2.86 blocks/steals per game while posting a PER of 20.0.
The biggest disappointment has been Derrick Rose, who is nursing a fractured orbital. The one-time MVP is averaging just 13 points per game on 36 percent shooting while accounting for 1.9 turnovers per game and posting a PER only worsted by Tony Snell.
The Bulls are still trying to find stability at small forward where Snell and Doug McDermott have had mixed success. McDermott scored 11 points and grabbed two rebounds in the loss to Minny and he had nine points in the win over OKC. The Bulls do have an injured (out until late November) Mike Dunleavy at the 3-spot, but there could be a trade looming to round out the starting five.
Chicago’s Nikola Mirotic has provided good shooting from the 4-spot, averaging 12 points per game while accounting for 2.3 of Chicago’s 9.6 threes made per game. Over his last three games, however, he has averaged just 19 minutes per game and 3.6 points per game. Gasol was the high point man in the loss to Minnesota with 21 in the game, while Tony Snell kicked in 14 off the bench.
RECENT TRENDS
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Chicago
Under is 4-0 in Bulls last 4 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
Over is 6-0 in Bulls last 6 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.
Over is 4-0 in Bulls last 4 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of less than .400.
Philadelphia
Over is 6-0 in 76ers last 6 Monday games.
76ers are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
76ers are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 home games.
Head to Head
Over is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings in Philadelphia.
Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.
Bulls are 1-4 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
