Harden Leading New-Look 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers have improved with the addition of James Harden, but they’re facing a tough matchup against a desperate Chicago Bulls outfit.
After looking like Eastern Conference title contenders, the Bulls have dropped four in a row and will need to improve to cover the NBA betting lines on Monday.
Bulls Not Charging
The Chicago Bulls can’t seem to right the ship. Losses to Memphis, Miami, Atlanta and Milwaukee have threatened to derail what was looking like a fantastic season. However, a win over the Philadelphia 76ers could get them back on track.
Despite their lack of recent success, which includes four straight against-the-spread losses, the Bulls are still 36-27-1 ATS.
Bettors have made money betting on the Bulls, and getting +7½ points on the road is a generous line. The sportsbook has taken into account their recent losing streak, but with DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine in the lineup, anything is possible.
The Bulls lost 130-124 to the Hawks, and although they were average defensively, scoring 124 points is a positive. They lost to the Bucks 118-112 last time out, so they’re not far from putting it all together.
Not having Lonzo Ball on the court is costly, so the Bulls are having a hard time finding a floor general.
They are also 0-3 against the 76ers, including back-to-back home losses. The average losing margin is 8½ points and the 76ers didn’t have Harden for those games.
Bounce Back for 76ers
Not having Harden in the lineup didn’t help the Philadelphia 76ers against the Miami Heat last week.
The 99-82 loss was a dismal offensive output, but Harden is scheduled to be back and his offense should spark the 76ers into life.
Prior to the road loss, the 76ers had been electric in beating the Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves. They scored over 122 points in the four wins, led by Harden.
They’re now four games behind the first-place Heat in the Eastern Conference, but coach Doc Rivers isn’t focused on it.
“”I really don’t look at the standings,” Rivers told ESPN. “What do they matter? You have to win. And I swear to God, after 82 (games), someone’s going to tap me and say ‘This is who you’re playing.’ … You can only control what you can control. The other stuff is for everyone else to talk about.”
NBA lines are giving the 76ers a sizable edge at -7½ points. They have dominated the Bulls in recent matchups, going 6-0 ATS and 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings in Philadelphia.
They’ll look to extend their dominance against the Bulls after winning 119-108 in their last meeting.
Bulls vs 76ers Head-to-Head
It has been one-way traffic for the Philadelphia 76ers, who are looking to go 4-0 against the Chicago Bulls.
The opening game finished 103-98 so it was a close affair, but the 76ers covered the -2½ spread and they covered in the subsequent games.
Bookmakers had the 76ers as +4 underdogs on the road, but the 114-105 victory was an easy cover.
Bulls vs 76ers Game Information
- Game: Chicago Bulls (39-25) at Philadelphia 76ers (39-24)
- Location: Wells Fargo Center
- Day/Time: Monday, 7 p.m. ET
Bulls vs 76ers Betting Lines
Bulls vs 76ers Prediction
Covering a -7½ spread against the Chicago Bulls isn’t easy, but we think NBA odds favor the Philadelphia 76ers in this situation.
With Harden and Joel Embiid on the floor, it has added another dimension to the 76ers’ offensive unit and the Bulls will struggle to keep up.
The 76ers have already shown their recipe for beating Chicago, and given the Bulls recent losing streak, their confidence levels are low.
Take the home side to come away with a double-digit victory. We would entertain the 76ers at -9½, so we have a few points to play with.
