76ers at Bulls Preview: Odds & Betting Tips

The Chicago Bulls escaped a tough stretch with a winning record in consecutive games against Cleveland and Atlanta. The improbable run came after they lost eight of nine games, including twice to Indiana and once to New Orleans. The Bulls put up 152 points in a regulation win over Atlanta on Sunday.

The 76ers have had a hard time getting Paul George, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey on the court at the same time. If they can do that regularly moving forward their ceiling gets higher. Maxey tallied 38 points in a win over Dallas on Saturday with his mates on the shelf.

76ers at Bulls Preview

The teams met last month with the Bull pulling out a 113-111 home victory. They meet for their second of three games on Friday, December 26 with tipoff at 7:30 p.m. ET from United Center in Chicago. The game will be streamed live on Prime Video.

Public Betting Odds Factors

The Sixers have put a little run together to climb up the Eastern Conference standings. They beat Dallas 121-114 on Saturday, a day after handing the Knicks only their second home loss of the season on Friday.

Philadelphia has won 6 of 8 games following the decision over the Mavs earning payouts in four straight games while going 6-2 against the NBA spread in that span.

Having the trio of Embiid, George and Maxey on the floor doesn’t guarantee success, but the Sixers have a much better chance of winning when they’re all competing. The last time all 3 players took the floor was on Dec. 7 and the Sixers lost to the Lakers.

Maxey is the guy keeping the team afloat. He averages 31.7 points, 3rd best in the NBA, and tallied back to back 30 point games in wins over Dallas and New York with George and Embiid on the shelf.

The Bulls were all the rage at the start of the season winning their first 5 games. It’s been a struggle since with just 8 wins in their last 23 games. An offensive explosion has given them three wins in three games, the latest a 152-150 triumph over Atlanta on Sunday. Over their last three games the Bulls are averaging 138 points.

Nine players scored in double figures in the Hawks game with Matas Buzelis notching 28. The Bulls shot 58 percent from the field and made 20 of 42 triples in the NBA’s highest scoring game this season.

76ers at Bulls Predictions

The offensive outburst by the Bulls is the exception and not the norm this season. During a recent 7-game losing streak they averaged less than 110 points.

Defense has become a lost art in the NBA with few teams playing it and fewer doing it well. The Sixers are holding opponents to 34.2 percent shooting from behind the arc, the 5th best mark in the NBA and have allowed fewer than 110 points in 5 of their last 8 games.

Embiid is trending toward a return for this game. He’s played in just 11 games so far but his time on the floor has been impactful. He’s averaging 20.5 points and 6.6 rebounds. However, the Sixers have managed to thrive without the former MVP winning 10 of the 16 contests he’s missed.

76ers at Bulls Betting Tips

The Sixers are 5-2-1 against the NBA pointspread in their last 8 games and following their 115-103 win over Brooklyn where they covered the 7-point line, Philly boast the 3rd highest cover percentage in the NBA.

Their avalanche of points in recent games had the Bulls cashing the OVER in two straight. They’ve been a better bet on the other side of the total, though, with the UNDER 7-4 in their previous 11 outings. The Bulls also boast the second-highest UNDER percentage in the NBA in home games.

Chicago’s Josh Giddey is a player to target in the prop market. He had 19 points, 12 rebounds and 9 assists in Sunday’s game and nearly averages a triple-double with 20.1 points, 9.2 rebounds and 8.9 assists. He has 6 triple-doubles on the season.

76ers at Bulls Head to Head and Key Stats

The Bulls won the first meeting this season and third straight in the series with a 113-111 victory on Nov. 4. Giddey had a triple-double with 29 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists offsetting a 38-point night from Tyrese Maxey.