Philadelphia vs Chicago: 76ers–Bulls headline early-season test — time, TV, probable lineups, and the matchup edges to watch

The first week of November serves up a classic Philadelphia vs Chicago clash as the 76ers visit the Bulls in a game that doubles as an early barometer for both teams’ ceilings. With each side stacking wins out of the gate, Tuesday night’s meeting at United Center should feel bigger than a routine regular-season date.

What time is Philadelphia vs Chicago? (¿A qué hora juega?)

• Date: Tuesday, November 4

• Tipoff: 8:00 p.m. ET | 7:00 p.m. CT | 1:00 a.m. GMT (Wed)

• Where: United Center, Chicago

• How to watch/stream: National and regional carriage through the usual league partners; streaming available via the official league app (local blackout rules may apply).

Form guide and stakes

Both teams opened strong, leaning on defense that travels and efficient late-game execution. Philadelphia have tightened their turnover window and cut opponent second-chance points, while Chicago’s half-court offense looks cleaner thanks to better spacing and a steadier diet of paint touches. The winner banks a quality resume piece and, just as importantly, a tiebreak nudge that can matter in spring seeding.

Probable starting lineups (expected)

Philadelphia 76ers — Tyrese Maxey, Kelly Oubre Jr., Paul George (game-time decision), Tobias Harris, Mo Bamba/Paul Reed
Chicago Bulls — Ayo Dosunmu, Kevin Huerter, DeMar DeRozan, Jaren Jackson Jr./Patrick Williams (rotation dependent), Nikola Vučević

Injury/availability notes: Philadelphia have managed minutes for wings returning from knocks; Chicago list backcourt depth pieces day-to-day. Final statuses post-shootaround.

Three tactical battles that decide 76ers–Bulls

1) Maxey vs. point-of-attack pressure
Maxey’s burst is the lever for Philadelphia: when he turns the corner, the defense collapses and corner threes bloom. Chicago’s answer is a higher pickup point and early nail help, forcing kickouts and living with contested above-the-break threes. If Maxey lives at the free-throw line, advantage Sixers.

2) DeRozan’s pacing vs. Philly’s length
Chicago shape possessions around DeRozan’s footwork, using ghost screens to shake mid-range pull-ups. Philadelphia will throw length at him and shade help from non-shooters, daring swing-swing sequences to beat the clock. The Bulls need weak-side cutting to punish ball-watching.

3) Glass and whistle
United Center tilts when the Bulls win the offensive boards and pile up free throws. Philadelphia’s path is clean hands on verticality and two-hands-to-the-ball box-outs. If second-chance points stay down, the Sixers can control tempo.

Matchup X-factors

• Paul George (PHI): If cleared, his two-way elasticity lets Philly toggle between jumbo lineups and three-wing switch groups. Even at limited minutes, his spot-up gravity unclogs Maxey’s drives.

• Coby White (CHI): If active, his pull-up three changes the geometry of Chicago’s guard actions; if not, expect more on-ball touches for Dosunmu and a larger Huerter usage slice.

• Bench chess: Philadelphia’s second unit has leaned on energy wings and short-roll playmaking; Chicago counters with shooting depth and a surprise small-ball look that sprints in transition.

How each side wins

Philadelphia path to victory

• Win first-side actions: early paint touches, then kick-outs on time.

• Keep turnovers under 12 to blunt Chicago’s runouts.

• Switch selectively to flatten DeRozan isolations; show bodies, not fouls.

Chicago path to victory

• Own the middle quarter: stagger DeRozan’s minutes to feast on bench lineups.

• Hammer the offensive glass; target 14+ second-chance points.

• Force Philadelphia’s non-Maxey creators into late-clock decisions.

Numbers to watch

• Free-throw rate: Bulls thrive when the game gets choppy; Philly wants flow.

• Corner 3 attempts (PHI): A proxy for whether drives are collapsing the shell.

• Points off turnovers: The swing stat in most Bulls home wins.

Coaching levers

• Philadelphia: Early ATOs to test Chicago’s tags on Spain pick-and-roll; if the corner stays hugged, slip screens for quick slips to the rim.

• Chicago: Mix coverages—start with soft show, flash box-and-one on hot Maxey stretches, and sprinkle zone after dead balls to disrupt rhythm.

Prediction meter

This profiles as a two-possession game into the final minute. If Philadelphia keep the turnover count low and manufacture eight to ten clean corner looks, they carry the road edge. If Chicago hit their whistle-and-glass benchmarks, the Bulls’ crunch-time mid-range machine closes it out.

Lean: Slight tilt Philadelphia, but razor-thin—swinging on free throws and the bench minutes around the third-quarter media timeout.

Quick guide (para quienes buscan “¿cuándo juega el Philadelphia vs Chicago?”)

• Martes 4/11 — 8:00 p. m. ET / 7:00 p. m. CT / 1:00 a. m. GMT (mié.)

• Sede: United Center, Chicago

• TV/stream: Socios habituales de la liga; app oficial (pueden aplicar bloqueos locales).