76ers vs. Bucks Prediction: NBA Odds, Point Spread
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Charlie Grant
The two most talented teams in the Eastern Conference square up for a Saturday night game on national television. The Sixers are unbeaten in four games but their struggles away from home are a major question mark as they travel to Milwaukee to face Giannis Antetokounmpo and the first place Bucks.
NBA Point Spread and Betting Analysis
There isn’t a team with a more jarring home-away split this season in the Association than the Philadelphia 76ers. The club is 26-2 (16-10-2 ATS) at the Wells Fargo Center and 9-19 (7-19-2 ATS) on the road.
The Sixers enter Saturday’s contest on the heels of a four game win streak, but all of those wins came in Philly. Brett Brown’s squad is 1-5 against the number in its last six games as an underdog including a 112-101 loss to the Bucks as a 9-point road underdog early this month.
Philadelphia averages 6.4 fewer points on the road than it does at home. Sharp bettors have seen the trend play out with the totals. The Under is 8-1 in the Sixers’ last nine road games.
The Sixers are battling the Miami Heat for fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings. Philly and Milwaukee would likely meet in the second round of the playoffs assuming seedings hold for the remainder of the campaign.
The Bucks are coming off a 126-106 win over the Detroit Pistons on Thursday night. Milwaukee covered the number as 13-point road faves. Mike Budenholzer’s group is on pace to win 70 games this season.
Only two other teams (1995-96 Chicago Bulls and 2015-16 Golden State Warriors) have won 70 games in a regular season before. Both of those teams made it to the NBA Finals. Sports Interaction lists the Bucks as -172 favourites to win the East.
Philadelphia 76ers
Al Horford was signed to a four-year $100 million contract last summer because the Sixers’ brass thought he would be the missing piece. He demonstrated in Boston he could shoot the 3 and effectively guard Giannis Antetokounmpo.
But Horford’s role in Philly is dwindling. After a prolonged and ineffective stretch in the starting lineup, coach Brett Brown banished the big man to the bench before the break. Horford played just 18 minutes against the Nets on Thursday night too.
Milwaukee Bucks
Ben Simmons will likely get the assignment to guard the Greek Freak on Saturday but which Philly defender will matchup against Khris Middleton? The other Milwaukee All-Star is shooting 55.7 percent from 3-point range on 5.9 attempts a night over his last 15 games.