The Bulls walk into Philadelphia carrying the kind of start that makes every road trip feel like a referendum, and the 76ers are waiting with the league’s best record and a defense that has already made life miserable for opponents. Chicago is 1-5, Philadelphia is 6-1, and even with the Sixers not exactly looking untouchable, this still shapes up as a steep climb for the Bulls.
Philadelphia’s early-season profile has been a little less dominant than the standings suggest, but it’s still a dangerous team. The Sixers own a 3.7 net rating, which sits just outside the league’s top 10, and their offense has been the main drag.
They’ve posted a 50.8 effective field goal percentage, sixth-worst in the NBA, and they’ve had some issues on the glass as well. Joel Embiid remains a force, but he has already missed two games, and the depth behind him at center has been thin.
That said, the Bulls are staring at a matchup that could get ugly fast if they don’t clean up the ball and get organized offensively. Philadelphia’s defense has been the third-best in the league to start the season, and the Sixers are forcing 17.3 turnovers per game. They’ve also been excellent at turning those mistakes into points, which is exactly the kind of pressure a sloppy Chicago offense does not want to see.
Tyrese Maxey is another major problem. He’s averaging 29.6 points per game on 48.6 percent shooting, and the Bulls don’t look equipped to slow him down in the backcourt. They also don’t have much rim protection to make him think twice once he gets downhill.
If Chicago is going to keep this one respectable, the path is pretty clear: win the second-chance battle and make some shots from deep. That becomes even more important if Embiid can’t play. The Sixers don’t take a ton of threes - about 10 fewer per game than the Bulls - so there’s at least a route for Chicago to hang around if it can control the boards and get enough production from outside.
The Bulls did show they could make things interesting against the New York Knicks, and they’re coming off a flat showing in Boston. That combination leaves at least a sliver of hope that they come out with more edge tonight, especially after Caleb Wilson’s comments.
Prediction: the Bulls don’t survive this one. They show more fight than they did in Boston and use their athleticism to stay competitive for stretches, but Philadelphia’s experience eventually takes over and the Sixers pull away for a double-digit win.
Who: Chicago Bulls (1-5) at Philadelphia 76ers (6-1)
Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena
When: 6:30 PM CT
Watch: Chicago Sports Network
Listen: 104.3 FM The Score
Starting lineups
Bulls: Josh Giddey, Norman Powell, Matas Buzelis, Caleb Wilson, Jalen Smith
76ers: Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown, LeBron James, Adem Bona
Final injury report
Bulls: Tobe Awaka - PROBABLE (ankle), Jalen Smith - PROBABLE (finger), Nic Claxton - OUT (hamstring)
76ers: Joel Embiid - QUESTIONABLE (foot), Dominick Barlow - OUT (back), Ariel Hukporti - OUT (Achilles)
In Other News...
Bulls Frontcourt Issue Just Got More Urgent Before 76ers Matchup
Chicagos frontcourt picture got a little clearer on the injury report, but not necessarily better. Ahead of the matchup with Philadelphia, the Bulls listed Nic Claxton as doubtful with a hamstring strain, while Jalen Smith and Tobe Awaka were both tagged probable despite minor injuries. With Joel Embiid also questionable for the 76ers because of a foot issue, the game carries a little extra weight in the paint, where Chicago has been trying to sort out its rotation and protect itself from another thin night inside.
Assistant Tiago Splitter said Claxton is not yet ready to go, and the Bulls are monitoring him closely in practice as they wait to see how he responds. For a team already managing frontcourt availability, the timing matters, especially with a Philadelphia opponent that can change the tone of a game quickly if Embiid is available. Chicago does not have much margin to improvise here, so the next update on Claxton will be worth watching. [Read more 🡒]
Nets Finally Have A Chance To Prove This Wasn't A Fluke
Nic Claxton is back in full practice after the hamstring injury that slowed him in training camp, and that gives the Bulls a new frontcourt decision to sort through. Jalen Smith has held up well in the early going, giving Chicago a reason to think twice before changing what has worked so far.
The timing makes the choice even more interesting. Smith has played his way into the conversation with steady production through six games, but Claxtons return adds a different look and a longer-term question about how the Bulls want to build their rotation. For a team trying to keep momentum, the next stretch could say plenty about whether this becomes a true competition or just a temporary pause in the status quo. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls May Already Have A Caleb Wilson Problem To Solve
The Bulls latest look at Boston did little to quiet the questions around how their young core fits together on the defensive end. Caleb Wilson drew the most attention for the right reasons, especially after a stronger second half that reinforced how quickly he is becoming one of the teams most important players, while Matas Buzelis and Josh Giddey were part of a group that had trouble consistently getting stops.
What makes the issue tricky is that the Bulls are trying to build around talent that clearly matters, but the combinations have not always helped them on the floor. Wilsons rise gives Chicago something real to lean on, yet the broader lineup picture still needs sorting out if the defense is going to hold up over time, and the way the staff handles Giddeys role may end up being part of that conversation. [Read more 🡒]