Bulls vs. Sixers game preview and thread: the PatBev era’s biggest test

Mar 20, 2023 - 9:54 PM

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I don’t know why I am getting upset that people paid to come up with storylines for this season (some directly by the team itself) are doing just that.

Viscerally, reading about how the Bulls are a different team with Patrick Beverley (7-4, with 2 very close losses nevermind those close wins) and have great net ratings since his arrival (blowing out the Nets by 60 points helps the differential), makes me twitchy, as if somehow Arturas Karnisovas will have it printed out for him and he’ll sigh through using it to explain his inactivity and ineffectiveness since Summer 2021.

But my concern about the Bulls is so far beyond that. Karnisovas has shown enough to be fired, he’s indicated he doesn’t know what he’s doing let alone the ability to spin like he’s playing 4-D chess. After the deadline, he took his team’s terrible play and tried to say it was fine, what will some small stretch of good play make any difference with fans?

It was never a shock that the Bulls could pull into the top ten seeds of the conference, their competition was the Wizards and Pacers. What is a bit shocking is that the Bulls have looked so good in doing so, but I think everyone except Arturas thinks it’s a bit flukey, and Arturas wouldn’t do anything different if it was legit or a whole lot worse.

So maybe we just ride the vibes of this Patrick Beverley contract push?

We’ll see if it hits a brick wall tonight in Joel Embiid and the Sixers. This one is on the road, though Philly was off yesterday this will be their 3rd game in 4 nights. They’ve won 8 in a row beating up bad teams and vanquished-by-Bulls-contemporaries Heat and Timberwolves in there as well. Embiid is making an MVP push and has never lost to Chicago in his entire career.

Ah, but all that said: Pat Bev tho?

Injury Report:

Javonte Green is playing! First game since the last game of 2022. But Alex Caruso is, of course, hurt again. So if the Bulls get trounced his net rating with the starters stays pristine, smart!

for the Sixers, PJ Tucker is out

Game Time: 6pm Central, NBC Sports Chicago