Chicago (4-3) at Philadelphia (0-6)
When: Monday, November 9th 2015
Where: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
Time: 7:05 ET | TV: NBA TV
The Philadelphia 76ers are still looking for their first win of the season, but are getting closer every night. They have lost their last four games by 8 points or less and are getting great efforts from their rookies. Duke standout Jahlil Okafor is everything that had been advertised of the No. 3 overall pick so far and is averaging 19.7 points while leading the Sixers in field goal percentage at 52.7%. Okafor blocked a season-high three shots to go along with 19 points on Saturday but Philadelphia could not come up with enough to knock off the Magic, losing 105-97. Fellow rookie T.J. McConnell is averaging 9.3 assists in the last four games and leads the team in steals. The defense is struggling as it would be with any young roster. Philadelphia ranks near the bottom in all defensive categories and allow 103.7 points a game while scoring just 92.0. Winning 20 games will be awfully tough this year, but there is some hope for the future.
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The Chicago Bulls have been very inconsistent in the young season and former MVP Derrick Rose has not been playing well. Rose scored in single digits in three straight games before busting out with 29 points in a win over the Thunder on Thursday, but then slumped back to 11 points on 3-of-13 shooting as Chicago dropped a 102-93 decision in overtime at home to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday. The Bulls were held scoreless in overtime in that game and are now just 4-3 after dropping three of their last five. Chicago is trying to work a semi-healthy Rose back into heavy minutes while adapting to a new offensive system under first-year head coach Fred Hoiberg, and the team has yet to put it together on both ends of the floor. Jimmy Butler leads the team in scoring at 20.1 a game, but was held to just 11 in 41 minutes on Saturday including 0-for-7 from 3-point range. Bulls starting F Nikola Mirotic has totaled just 11 points on 4-of-24 shooting in the last three games. The Bulls are tied for 3rd place in the Central division, but there’s a lot of season left to get things right.
It’s hard to predict which Chicago team will show up tonight and I know you’ll get 100% effort from this young Sixers team. The line seems a little high for me to take a road favorite, so I’ll stick with the home dog tonight.
Pick: 76ers +7.5
