NBA: Chicago Bulls vs Philadelphia 76ers (03/25/26)

Game Preview

The Chicago Bulls head to Philadelphia for a matchup that could hinge on late-breaking availability news and which team controls tempo. Chicago has leaned into spacing and volume from deep in recent action, while Philadelphia’s identity can shift dramatically depending on who’s available to carry creation. With both clubs showing similar recent efficiency levels, small edges—bench minutes, rebounding battles, and free-throw generation—could decide the night. Expect a game that feels closer than a routine home-court script if the injury report bites.

Game Information

Date	Wednesday, March 25, 2026
Tip-Off	7:00 PM EST
Location	Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Broadcast	Check local listings

Injury Report

Philadelphia 76ers Injuries

• Out: Tyrese Maxey (out), Kelly Oubre Jr. (out)
• Doubtful: None
• Questionable: Joel Embiid (questionable), Quentin Grimes (questionable)

Chicago Bulls Injuries

• Out: None
• Doubtful: Guerschon Yabusele (doubtful), Isaac Okoro (doubtful)
• Questionable: None

Player Impact Summary: Philadelphia carries the bigger volatility: their usage-weighted impact dropoff is 9.1 in the wrong direction, reflecting multiple absences plus a major questionable. Chicago’s report is comparatively light, with a listed impact of -10.8 (minimal negative effect in this dataset), so the overall availability profile favors the road side—especially if Embiid is limited or sits.

Pace & Efficiency Matchup

Chicago Bulls

Chicago has played fast in recent action, running a 103.1 pace and leaning heavily into threes with 40.5 attempts per game and a 45.0% three-point attempt rate. The efficiency is respectable: a 112.3 offensive rating paired with 58.1% true shooting and 55.1% effective field goal percentage. The concern is sloppiness—15.9 turnovers per game can create runouts and quick swings, especially in a road environment.

Philadelphia 76ers

Philadelphia has been closer to average in tempo, posting a 99.9 pace recently, with more moderate three-point volume at 34.0 attempts per game and a 37.4% three-point attempt rate. Their scoring efficiency sits in the same tier as Chicago: a 113.2 offensive rating with 56.0% true shooting and 52.4% effective field goal percentage. Defensively, they’ve allowed 113.1 points per game over this sample, suggesting a profile that can be stressed by high-volume perimeter attacks.

Edge: Chicago’s shot profile is the separator: more three-point volume and stronger recent shooting efficiency can keep them within striking distance even if they lose some half-court possessions to turnovers. Philadelphia’s slightly better raw offensive rating is real, but the availability question makes it harder to trust that edge to translate into separation on the scoreboard.

Rest & Travel Analysis

Factor	Chicago Bulls	Philadelphia 76ers
Miles Traveled (L10)	4,252	6,715
Timezone Jumps	3	4
Travel Fatigue Index	11.0	10.8
Back-to-Back?	No	No

Fatigue Edge: Neither side is coming in fresh—both travel fatigue indices sit around 11.0, which is a mild negative for crisp execution. Chicago’s path has fewer miles and fewer timezone changes, but the fatigue scores are close enough that this is more of a small lean than a decisive advantage.

Lineup Synergy & Ref Tendencies

Synergy Score: Chicago Bulls: -3.2 | Philadelphia 76ers: -2.9

Synergy Edge: The differential is tiny, effectively neutral. Both teams’ recent lineup combinations have underperformed expectation, which raises the likelihood of momentum swings and makes grabbing points more attractive than laying them.

Referee Edge: Home Ref Impact: 0.1 | Away Ref Impact: 0.1 | Net Edge: 0.0

The officiating signal is essentially neutral, indicating no meaningful lean toward either side in how the game is expected to be called. With such a small net edge, it’s unlikely to be the deciding variable unless the game becomes extremely whistle-dependent late.

Why Chicago Bulls Covers

Chicago’s path to covering starts with shot math and volatility that favors the underdog. They’re attempting 40.5 threes per game with a 45.0% attempt rate, and they’ve paired that volume with a strong 55.1% effective field goal percentage and 58.1% true shooting in recent action. That perimeter-heavy profile can erase small talent gaps quickly and keep margins tight even if they’re not perfect possession-to-possession. The bigger angle is availability: Philadelphia’s usage-weighted impact dropoff is 9.1, with multiple outs and a major questionable who can swing the entire matchup. If Philadelphia’s creation is compromised, Chicago’s faster pace and cleaner shooting can turn this into a one- or two-possession game deep into the fourth.

Why Philadelphia 76ers Covers

Philadelphia can cover if they control the game’s texture—slowing it toward their 99.9 pace, protecting the ball at 13.2 turnovers per game, and forcing Chicago to execute in the half court rather than trading threes. Even with only moderate three-point volume, they’ve still produced a 113.2 offensive rating recently, and home-court structure can help stabilize lineup minutes that haven’t been perfectly cohesive. Chicago’s main leak is giveaways: 15.9 turnovers per game can create easy points and quick runs, exactly how favorites stretch leads without shooting lights-out. If Philadelphia gets steady star availability and turns Chicago’s mistakes into transition scoring, the game can tilt from “competitive” to “comfortable” quickly.

The Pick

Chicago Bulls +6.5 (-110)