The Philadelphia 76ers (18-61) look to end their seven-game losing streak when they compete against the Chicago Bulls (47-32) at the United Center. The game gets underway at 8:00 pm ET on Saturday, Apr. 11 and will air on CSN-PHI and CSN-CHI.
The Bulls were victorious over the Heat 89-78 on Thursday. With 16 points and 15 rebounds, Pau Gasol recorded his 51st double-double this season. The 76ers, meanwhile, are coming off an ugly 119-90 loss to the Wizards on Wednesday. Robert Covington had a good shooting night, leading the game with 27 points.
The defense for Chicago should have a clear edge in terms of effective field goal percentage. They rank second in the league in forcing misses (opponents’ effective field goal percentage of 47.5%), while the offense of Philadelphia is 29th with a mark of 45.9%.
The Bulls have won both contests against the 76ers this season, including a 104-95 victory in their last matchup. Aaron Brooks scored a game-high 31 points.
The odds are even for this game and the Over/Under (O/U) is currently unavailable. The Bulls look to build on their records of 47-32 Straight Up (SU) and 37-42 Against The Spread (ATS). They have gone 30-19 SU and 24-25 ATS against teams from the Eastern Conference. Chicago has gotten to the free throw line often this season. They average 19 made free throws per game, which is second-best in the NBA. The Bulls have a distinct advantage on the boards in this matchup. They are the third-ranked rebounding team in the NBA, averaging 45.7 per game, while the 76ers rank 19th in the league with 42.8 per game. Turning to the defensive side, the offenses have been stifled by the Bulls, who allow a field goal percentage of only .437. The Bulls are the fifth-best team in the league at blocking shots, averaging 5.7 blocks per game.
On the other side, the 76ers head into the game with records of 39-38-2 ATS and 18-61 SU. Philadelphia has a record of 12-37 SU and 22-26-1 ATS against the East. When it comes to stealing the ball away, the 76ers are the best in the league with an average of 9.7 steals per game.
Chicago beat Philadelphia in their most recent meeting this season, moving its SU record against the 76ers to 8-2 in their last 10 head-to-head meetings. The teams have an even record ATS, 5-5. Chicago held the edge in field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers twice in the last 10, while Philadelphia wasn’t able to do so in that span.
Predictions: SU Winner – CHI, ATS Winner – CHI
Notes
On average, Philadelphia scores 91.6 points per game (ranked 30th), while Chicago gives up 98.0 points per game (ranked 10th).
Philadelphia ranks 30th in points per away game with 88.2 points, while Chicago ranks 11th in points allowed at home with 97.7.
When allowing fewer than 100 points, the Bulls are 33-11 on the season. When the 76ers score fewer than 100, they are a subpar 14-51.
When giving up at least 100 points, the Chicago Bulls have a 14-21 record. When registering triple digits, the Philadelphia 76ers have a subpar record of 4-10.
The 76ers have a defensive rating of 101.9 (ranked 12th). The Bulls rank 10th for their offensive rating of 104.4.
Chicago averages fewer possessions per game than Philadelphia, with 96.3 compared to 98.7. However, the Bulls score an average of 1.044 points per possession, more than the .928 that the 76ers score.
Chicago averages an effective field goal percentage of 48.8%. Philadelphia has not won a game this season when opponents have a similar or higher effective field goal percentage (0-44).
On average, the Chicago Bulls make 21.8 assists per game and the Philadelphia 76ers make 20.5. Chicago is ranked 13th, while Philadelphia is ranked 25th.
With 6.0 blocks per game, the Philadelphia 76ers rank fourth in the league. The Chicago Bulls are in the top half of NBA teams for blocking, ranking fifth with 5.7 blocks per game.
Chicago is ranked seventh in offensive rebounding. Philadelphia ranks 26th in defensive rebounds.
The Philadelphia 76ers rank first in steals, with an average of 9.7 per game. When the Chicago Bulls allow at least 9 steals, they have a solid 22-13 record.
