Bucks vs. 76ers NBA odds, tips and predictions tonight

The 76ers were hampered by the reigning East champions on opening night but have to face a wounded Bucks team in a good place. Find out why Joel Embiid & Co. will rebound as we break down Thursday’s matchup in our NBA picks.

Two Eastern Conference heavyweights meet tonight as the Philadelphia 76ers host the Milwaukee Bucks. Both teams start the season with sky-high expectations.

Joel Embiid and the 76ers will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing 126-117 loss to the Boston Celtics on opening night and avoid the pressure of a 2-0 start. For Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks, this is the season opener and an opportunity to face one of their likely rivals in the race to reach the NBA Finals in June.

Our free NBA picks and predictions for 76ers vs. Bucks on Thursday, October 20 give Philadelphia a tip for home cooking.

Bucks vs 76ers best odds

Bucks vs. 76ers tips and predictions

The stakes couldn’t be higher for Embiid, James Harden and the 76ers this season as championship or bust sentiment hangs over the team. Tonight is their home game and we expect Philadelphia to put on a show at the Wells Fargo Center.

The 76s are already buzzing offensively. A stripped Harden turned back the clock to score 35 points from just 14 shots against the Celtics – and that bodes well for a matchup against defensive stoppers like Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday.

The biggest reason to look for a win in Philadelphia is the gaping hole in Milwaukee’s lineup, with Khris Middleton out with a wrist injury. The Bucks showed in the 2022 playoffs that they can still bat without their good-shooting wing, but they demand a lot from Antetokounmpo on both sides against elite opponents like the 76ers.

The Philadelphia bench was a no-show in Boston (just 11 total points), but the second unit should have an advantage against a thin Milwaukee roster. De’Anthony Melton and Montrezl Harrell will both find cheaper encounters here and Matisse Thybulle will certainly be around longer than his surprise 23-second display against the Celtics.

Antetokounmpo will likely be asked to take on the goal load for the visitors while also taking on Embiid’s assignment on defense, and the 76ers have the luxury of leaning on former Buck PJ Tucker to share the challenge, “The Greek.” Freak” to slow down.

After the Boston crackdown, we expect Philadelphia to respond and demonstrate its title credentials. The hosts have the scoring weapons to cover that relatively small spread.

my best bet: 76ers -4 (-110 at bet365)

Spread Analysis of Bucks vs. 76ers

As a 4-point favorite tonight, Philadelphia offers solid value. Unlike the Bucks, the 76ers had a chance to work off some of the gridiron on Tuesday – and Doc Rivers will no doubt have highlighted defensive mistakes that need cleaning up, including how to keep their backcourt out of the kind of mismatches the Jayson Tatum and Jaylen destroyed Braun. The hosts just have to be better at this end of the arena – and we’re predicting a more committed, consistent effort here.

While Milwaukee will lean heavily on a Giannis-centric offense, Philadelphia has a plethora of options. Holiday and Antetokounmpo are as good as it gets at defending the Harden Embiid pick and roll, but watch out for Tyrese Maxey having a big night to attack a muddled Bucks defense.

It’s way too early to talk about awards shows, but there’s no denying that Embiid and Antetokounmpo are among the top NBA MVP ratings contenders. One of Embiid’s standout games last season was a 42-point, 14-rebound masterclass in Milwaukee in February — and he could be approaching that stat line tonight in response to a mixed offensive effort in the season opener.

With a talent lead and greater bank depth, Philadelphia is poised to calm any early-season panic and cover that spread.

Bucks vs. 76ers Over/Under Analysis

The total of 225 looks fair. Though all three meetings between the two teams last season exceeded that number, October basketball’s carelessness is seared into the line. The 76ers had 14 turnovers Tuesday night and there are new rotation players settling in for both teams.

When the Bucks launch a jumbo lineup with Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis and Brook Lopez leading up to it, it’s hard to see where the bench scoring will come from. The visitors may be relying heavily on Jordan Nwora and veteran George Hill to set the spark.

Still, any defense that has Holiday guarding the perimeter and both Giannis and Lopez patrolling the color is a threat. This version of the Bucks (without Middleton for 10 of their 12 playoff games) allowed just 101.3 points per game in the 2022 postseason.

I like a slight under tonight, especially with Middleton injured and Milwaukee’s limited 3-point shooting. After coughing up 126 points in Boston on Tuesday, Philadelphia should be better defensively on their home ground.

Bucks vs. 76ers Betting Trend You Should Know

The Under is 7-0 in the 76ers’ last seven games after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game. Find more NBA betting trends for Bucks vs 76ers.

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