Chuck Checks In - 02.19.21

GAME NIGHT FROM PHILADELPHIA: Bulls (12-15, 7-6 on the road) at 76ers: (19-10, 12-2 at home).

RADIO: 670 The Score: Chuck Swirsky and Bill Wennington: 6:15pre.
TV: ESPN: 6:30PM

LEADING SCORERS: Bulls: LaVine: 28ppg. Philly: Embiid: 29ppg.
LEADING REBOUNDERS: Bulls: Carter: 7per. Philly: Embiid: 10per.
LEADING ASSISTS: Bulls: LaVine and White: 5per each. Philly: Simmons: 8per.

CCI PREVIEW: The Bulls get their first look at the Eastern Conference leading Philadelphia 76ers led by Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. Embiid is fourth in the NBA in scoring at 29 per game and ranks 12th in rebounding at 12 per game. Embiid goes to the line a league high 11 times per game. It will be a huge test for the Bulls defense tonight dealing with Embiid and Simmons, who is an excellent two-way player, despite his lack of a three point game. Simmons is eighth in the NBA in assists at eight per game and fifth in the NBA in steals under two per contest. Seth Curry ranks seventh in the NBA in 3pt field goal percentage at 47%. The 76ers don't attempt a lot of three pointers, ranking 28th at 28 per game. Philly leads the NBA in free throw attempts averaging nearly 30 per contest.

The Bulls battled back from a 25 point deficit in their win over Detroit but cannot afford huge lapses against the 76ers. Thad Young returns to his first NBA home and the veteran is enjoying a terrific season shooting 62% from the floor in February, averaging 12 points and six rebounds. The Bulls will once again be without the services of Chandler Hutchison, Lauri Markkanen and Otto Porter Jr.

Brooklyn 109, Los Angeles Lakers 98. No Kevin Durant. No Anthony Davis. No Dennis Schroder. The Nets are 4-0 on their five game West Coast trip. The Lakers announced Davis will be out four weeks with a calf injury.

Toronto 110, Milwaukee 96. The Bucks have dropped five straight. Norman Powell had a season high 29 points. The Bucks will welcome the general public to a home game for the first time Sunday when they allow 1,800 fans for a game against the Kings.

Miami 118, Sacramento 110. Jimmy Butler registered his third straight triple-double (13-10-13). Bam Adebayo also had a triple-double for the Heat.

EAST: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bradley Beal, Kevin Durant, Joe Embiid and Kyrie Irving.
WEST: LeBron James, Steph Curry, Kawhi Leonard, Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic.

Thanks for reading CCI. Reach out: cswirsky@bulls.com or Twitter @ctsbulls.

All In. All Bulls. 365. 24-7. Always a pleasure. Go Bulls!