The Milwaukee Bucks host the Philadelphia 76ers in an Eastern Conference showdown Thursday night from Fiserv Forum. Six games separate these two in the standings, as Philadelphia aims to avoid the play-in game, while Milwaukee works for the top seed in the Eastern Conference. In two meetings earlier this season, the Bucks won both matchups, including a 21-point drubbing of Philadelphia in their last meeting less than a month ago. The 76ers have struggled to find much success as of late, while the Bucks look every bit like an NBA contender. Either way, when these two meet, it’s always the one fans will want to follow.
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76ers navigate life without Embiid
Philadelphia was expected to be one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference this season and that seemed to be the case, until injuries threatened to derail things. They still sit in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, but certainly don’t want to fall further, especially since the play-in positions are right behind them. Knowing they’ve also struggled against Milwaukee this season, confidence could be shaken heading into this one. It won’t help that they have only one win in their last four games and have struggled away from home, especially of late. A win against the Bucks in this one would be huge, although it will take a complete and perfect performance for the upset to materialize.
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As previously mentioned, injuries are not ideal for this group. Joel Embiid (knee) is the key absence and hopefully he will be back for the playoffs. He was putting together a likely MVP-caliber season before he went down and it’s clear he’s been difficult to replace. Adding Robert Covington and De’Anthony Melton also out, their depth also took a hit.
Philadelphia has had to rely heavily on its defense this season and that will continue to be the case heading into this one. They rank top ten in the NBA in almost every defensive category and given the offensive firepower on the other side, there’s no doubt they’ll need to be at their best. On the offensive side, they rank in the bottom third in most categories, which is a big drop-off for this group, especially compared to the previous season. Tyrese Maxey (25.9 ppg, 6.2 apg) has stepped up massively in Embiid’s absence, but with their depth tested of late, they’ll need a second scorer to emerge to cause the surprise.
Bucks aim for Eastern Conference lead
The Bucks are just behind the Celtics at the top of the Eastern Conference standings and must continue to take care of business at home to keep up. They are 25-7 in home games this season, which is one of the best records in the league, but given their road record, they will need to make sure they have the advantage on the field throughout the playoffs. They’ve won three straight in this series and will lean heavily on that confidence in this one. However, in recent times there has been a slight decline. They have just one win in their last four games after going on a long winning streak, although a return home will give them a great chance to get back on track.
Milwaukee has a few injuries as they head into this one, one of them being a key name. Khris Middleton (ankle) has been out for a few weeks now and considering he’s been a star on this roster for a few years, it’s a crucial absence. Marjon Beauchamp (back) is also questionable after missing their last game.
The Bucks have leaned heavily on the offensive end and it has shown, as they enter the top ten in a number of categories. Three-point shooting was the most impressive improvement from last season, although with Philadelphia’s perimeter defense it might not be as easy in this one. Giannis Antetokounmpo (30.8 ppg, 11.2 ppg) continues to be one of the most dominant players in the league, but with Dame Lillard (24.4 ppg) supporting him, this team now has also scoring depth. The second rotation is concerning, but if the starters can avoid foul trouble, they should be able to pull out an easy win in this one.
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Best bets for this game
Full Game Side Bet
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The Bucks will win and cover the spread here, continuing their recent dominance over Philadelphia. The 76ers continue to struggle with injuries, with Embiid being joined by some key pieces from a depth and rotation standpoint. The route’s problems have increased as injuries have increased, making it difficult for them to cover the route spread in this one. They’ll face one of the best teams in the NBA, blessed with frontcourt dominance and scoring, something the 76ers simply lack. The Bucks have won both meetings this season and with Philadelphia clinging to cover only twice in its last nine games, this is a prime matchup for Milwaukee to win and cover.
Prediction: dollars
Total choice of the complete game
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This will end up being a low scoring game and the lower game is the game fans will want to embrace. The 76ers are without Embiid, which is more than 30 points per game that they continue to try to make up for every night. Beyond that, the 76ers have shifted to a defensive-first unit in his absence and will look to keep that going on the road. For the Bucks, they are without their third leading scorer in Middleton and while they expect to roll in this one, they will also be expected to take their foot off the gas in the second half. Their second unit is far from elite and as they get more minutes in this one, it will lower their scoring prospects. The under has hit in four of the last six meetings between these two and in three straight for Philadelphia, as those low-scoring trends continue into this one.
Prediction: under
