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The Philadelphia 76ers will head to the United Center with a bad taste in their mouth, which could be bad news for the Chicago Bulls.
In their Friday night NBA Cup matchup, Philly was run off the floor by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley combined for 45 points in the 119-95 victory. It marked only the second loss of the season for the 76ers.
As for the Bulls, they are still looking for their second win of the year. They have dropped six straight games and have looked completely lost on both ends of the floor. Philly has already taken advantage of that once, beating Chicago 126-107 earlier this week.
• In all fairness to the Chicago Bulls, their last meeting with the Philadelphia 76ers was one of their most competitive of the season. Tiago Splitter and Company were within striking distance for most of the night. It wasn't until a veteran-laden Philly squad shot 61.9 percent in the fourth quarter that it became clear the Bulls weren't going to pull off the upset. So, what went right for the Bulls for most of the game? Their athleticism stood out against an older 76ers lineup. They did a good job forcing their way into the paint and getting to the free throw line for 32 attempts. The only problem? They knocked down just 21 of those shots. Still, this group learned in that performance that they can get into the teeth of their defense and execute in transition. Chicago also finished with 25 fastbreak points, for what it's worth.
• The Philadelphia 76ers haven't been known for their rebounding prowess early on this season. They have been in the bottom half of the league in this department, and Chicago was able to take advantage earlier this week. While the Bulls didn't win the rebounding battle overall, they did grab 13 offensive rebounds and win the second-chance points department 20-17. Tiago Splitter has repeatedly stressed the importance of crashing the glass, and this will only continue this afternoon. Especially with Nic Claxton back in the fold and Philly missing backup big man Adem Bona, this could be a key category to watch.
• On an individual level, it's a big day for Caleb Wilson. The rookie had his worst outing yet against the New York Knicks on Wednesday night, scoring a mere 5 points and playing a season-low 22 minutes. Noticeable frustration even boiled over in the third quarter, which led Tiago Splitter to pull him from the game. Wilson would not return to the game. It's now up to the 20-year-old to show that he can shake off a bad night and lock back in. For what it's worth, Wilson had a fantastic first outing against the Philly squad, scoring 24 points on 9-17 shooting from the field. If the Bulls want any chance at walking away with the win, Wilson will have to put together a better performance.
Who: Philadelphia 76ers (8-2) at Chicago Bulls (1-7)
Where: United Center
When: 2:30 PM CT
Watch: Chicago Sports Network
Listen: 104.3 FM The Score
1. Josh Giddey
2. Norman Powell
3. Matas Buzelis
4. Caleb Wilson
5. Jalen Smith
1. Tyrese Maxey
2. VJ Edgecombe
3. Jaylen Brown
4. LeBron James
5. Joel Embiid
Jalen Smith – PROBABLE (finger)
Nic Claxton – QUESTIONABLE (hamstring)
Tobe Awaka – QUESTIONABLE (MCL)
Norman Powell – OUT (shoulder)
Dailyn Swain – OUT (disc)
Zach Collins – OUT (illness)
Joel Embiid – PROBABLE (foot)
Dominick Barlow – OUT (back)
Adem Bona – OUT (spine)
Ariel Hukporti – OUT (Achilles)
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