The Philadelphia 76ers (31-21) visit the Windy City Sunday to play the Chicago Bulls (33-19). The tip-off at United Center is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET. Below, we look at the 76ers vs. Bulls odds and lines, and make our expert NBA picks, predictions and bets.
Philly has lost back-to-back games to the Washington Wizards and at the Dallas Mavericks following a five-game win streak. The Sixers are 5-2 straight up (SU) and 3-4 against the spread (ATS) over the last two weeks.
Chicago has won three of its past four games including 122-115 at the Indiana Pacers in its last outing, easily covering as a 1.5-point road favorite. The Bulls are 5-3 SU and 4-3-1 ATS in the last 14 days.
The Sixers are 2-0 SU and ATS versus the Bulls this season and the total is 1-1 Over/Under (O/U) in those meetings.
76ers at Bulls odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 10:05 a.m. ET.
- Money line: 76ers -135 (bet $135 to win $100) | Bulls +110 (bet $100 to win $110)
- Against the spread: 76ers -2.5 (-107) | Bulls +2.5 (-115)
- Over/Under (O/U): 219.5 (O: -108 | U: -112)
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76ers at Bulls key injuries
76ers
- SF Matisse Thybulle (shoulder) questionable
Bulls
- PG Lonzo Ball (knee) out
- SG Alex Caruso (wrist) out
- SG Zach LaVine (back) questionable
- PG Coby White (hip) questionable
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76ers at Bulls odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
76ers 115, Bulls 109
Money line
BET the 76ERS (-135) for 1 unit.
The Bulls have been atrocious against strong defenses and Philly is ninth in adjusted defensive rating over the past two weeks, according to CleaningTheGlass.com (CTG).
Chicago is 4-11 SU versus top-10 defenses with a minus-9.3 adjusted net rating (ranked 25th) and a minus-5.5 ATS margin (ranked 28th), per CTG.
The Bulls also only put up 101.5 points per game (PPG) in their first two meetings with the Sixers despite that they average 111.7 PPG. This was a Bulls team playing with their three current or former All-Stars and Ball.
Philly just has Chicago’s number in their recent head-to-head history. The Sixers have won nine straight versus the Bulls (8-1 ATS) and Philly big Joel Embiid has never lost to Chicago.
Embiid is averaging 26.8 points on 62.4% true shooting (.541/.379/.732) with 11.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists and a plus-20 net rating in nine career games against the Bulls.
The Sixers were also without forwards Thybulle, Danny Green and Tobias Harris in Philly’s Nov. 6th 114-105 victory over the Bulls in Chicago.
BET the SIXERS (-135).
Against the spread
PASS.
Philly’s money line (ML) is only 28 cents on the dollar pricier than the 76ers -2.5 (-107) so let’s just pay the extra vig. However, if Philly’s ML goes north of -150 then I’d just lay the points with the Sixers.
Over/Under
Slight “LEAN” to the OVER 219.5 (-108) for a small wager, if at all, because Philly’s ML is my favorite wager in this contest.
Nine of the last 12 Sixers-Bulls meetings have gone Over the total and Chicago has a bottom-five defensive rating over the last two weeks.
The Sixers are 8-5-1 O/U as a road favorite and the Bulls are 14-10-1 O/U at home, but Philly has been playing good defense recently and the Sixers are 1-4 O/U in their last five games.
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