20.03.2023

Chicago Bulls @ Philadelphia 76ers Game Preview and Prop Pick

Based on metrics, the Philadelphia 76ers have been playing well above the rest of the league recently, and they will look to continue that level of play tonight against the Chicago Bulls. We’ll preview the matchup before going over which Sixers player I’ll be targeting in the prop market tonight.

Game Preview

Over the past ten games, only one team has a double digits NET rating, and that is the 76ers, with a 13.6 rating. Philadelphia has gone 9-1 in that ten-game span and is currently amid an eight-game winning streak. The recent success has been an impressive display of dominance on the offensive end, with an offensive efficiency rating of 129.4.

Two of the biggest reasons for the immense success on the offensive end are Joel Embiid hunting his first MVP and Tyrese Maxey’s insertion back into the starting line-up. Over the past ten games, Embiid is averaging 35.2 points and 9.1 rebounds per game, while Maxey is averaging 22.1 points. Maxey has caused a 7.6-point positive differential in offensive efficiency over the past ten games when he is on the floor.

The 76ers are 15th in defensive efficiency in that same ten-game span but have held four of their last ten opponents to 96 points or less. Holding their opponent tonight to a similar scoring output will be challenging since Chicago is 6th in offensive rating in their last ten games.

Chicago is 6-4 in their recent ten-game stretch and will enter tonight winners of two straight. Inconsistency has been one of the primary words to describe Chicago’s season, and right now, they are playing like the team many expected they would be with the talent on their roster.

With an overall NET rating of 4.5 in the past ten games, the Bulls are 5th in the league in that span and are fresh off a win over the Miami Heat in which they shot 56% from the field and 50% from three. Chicago dominated on the defensive end of the floor as well, holding the Heat to 99 points on 43% shooting.

Prop Pick for the Game

I’ll be targeting Tyrese Maxey over 2.5 three-pointers made at (+115). Maxey is averaging 2.51 threes per game, but over the last ten games, he is averaging 3.5. In that span, Maxey has gone over his total in seven of those games, including his last three. Philadelphia has a lot of momentum, and their matchup with the Bulls' three-point defense is ideal.

Over the previous ten games, Chicago is 30th in the league in opponents three-pointers made per game with an average of 14.8. Even with their recent play, the Bulls have still not shown the ability to run shooters off the line. Limiting three-pointers has been a struggle for them all year, as they ranked 27th in opponent three-pointers made in the first half of the season.

The young guard is coming off a game in which he knocked down five threes, taking his total to 13 over his past three games. When these teams last met in January, Maxey lit the Bulls' defense up with five threes in the game while finishing with 26 points. Between his recent shooting numbers and the matchup, I think this is a great spot to target him.