The set-up: The 26-45 Philadelphia 76ers are lottery-bound yet again but will still have a few more opportunities to influence the playoff seedings. Philadelphia beat Boston on Sunday and still has two games each remaining against the Bulls and the No. 7 Indiana Pacers, as well as games against Atlanta, Cleveland, Toronto and Milwaukee down the stretch. They will be in Chicago tonight to take on the 34-38 Bulls, who moved into a tie for ninth with Detroit, after romping over the Pistons 117-95 in Chicago on Wednesday. Both Chicago and Detroit are one game back of the eighth-seeded Heat.

Philadelphia: The 76ers are overwhelmed 112-97 by the Thunder on Wednesday but prior to that, had enjoyed a 3-2 stretch, with both losses by three points or less. Dario Saric is making a late-push for the now wide-open ROY award (with Embiid's season cut to just 31 games) but he was held to a modest 12 points against OKC, althouh that did extend his streak of scoring in double figures to 21 straight games.

Chicago: The Bulls went for a "new look" this season but it hasn't much worked and after trading Gibson and McDermott at the deadline, the team decided to shut Wade down for the season just recently. One wonders if Jimmy Butler wishes he had been moved at the trade deadline.

The pick: Chicago enjoys a 12-game winning streak in the series (six straight home wins) but I'll take the points with the 76ers, who play the roll of spoiler in this one. Make Philly an 8* play.