The red hot Sixers are back at home hosting a Bulls team that has shown life since Zach LaVine left the lineup and is staring 10 days at home in the face after this contest. With the schedule and motivational spots different, as well as a schematic advantage for the home team, there is likely value on the reigning MVP and the rest of the Sixers.
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Bulls vs. Sixers Betting Odds
| Bulls | Sixers | |
| Spread | +10.5 | -10 |
| Moneyline | +390 | -490 |
| Total | o226 | u226 |
*lines accurate at the time of publication
Bulls vs. Sixers Best Bets
Sixers First Half -5.5 (-115, DRAFTKINGS)
In the first half this season the Sixers are 16-9 ATS and 10-3 ATS at home with the third-highest first half margin at +4.3. Contrast that with the Bulls, who have notoriously gotten off to slow starts this season and are 3-6-1 first half ATS since LaVine left the lineup. Chicago’s average margin in the first half is 26th in the NBA at -5.3 and has only gotten slightly better, -4.5 without LaVine despite the change in their fate in full games recently.
Against the best opponents, since LaVine went out, the Bulls were -6 and -9 in a pair of games against the Bucks, -8 against the Pelicans, and -7 versus the Nuggets. They have only stayed within this first half line three times recently. In a pair of games against a short-handed Heat team and against the Hornets.
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The biggest question for the Bulls to answer if they want to cover the number is how can they make life more difficult for Joel Embiid. Last year the answer would likely be doubling and forcing Embiid to get rid of the ball but with his improved playmaking and Chicago allowing the most shots in the league at the basket since LaVine went out, that seems to be an even more difficult task. Also, the Bulls are allowing the third-highest opponent free throw rate in the league without LaVine and Joel Embiid is better than anyone in the entire league at getting to the line when he wants. That raises the floor of the Sixers offense to a large degree.
Coby White has been a revelation with a larger piece of the offensive pie but De’Anthony Melton and the size of the front line should make White’s life more difficult in Philadelphia. The Sixers have the best offense and second-best defense in the last three weeks of action. So not only will the Bulls have a large defense task in slowing the Sixers, but they need to be elite offensively as well to stay in the game.
Philadelphia makes teams play near perfect to stay within distance and the Bulls have proven to be a team that need to feel its way into a game and rally late, while the Sixers choose to hit you in the mouth early. That is why the first half look makes more sense than the full game.
Risk 1.15 units on DraftKings to win 1 unit.
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