20th October 2022 - preview, prediction & picks:
Milwaukee Bucks @ Philadelphia 76ers
19:30 ET / local
Wells Fargo Center. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Expected lineups/team news:
Bucks:
PG - Jrue Holiday
SG - Grayson Allen
SF - Khris Middleton
PF - Giannis Antetokounmpo
C - Brook Lopez
76ers:
PG - James Harden
SG - Tyrese Maxey
SF - Tobias Harris
PF - P.J. Tucker
C - Joel Embiid
An unspecified illness has Giannis Antetokounmpo potentially sidelined for the matchup against Philadelphia. Although he still shows as the most likely starting power forward it may be that he is introduced later. We certainly expect to see him appear from the bench at some point if he doesn’t start.
Connaughton (right calf) and Ingles (knee) are confirmed out.
Wesley Matthews (ankle) is expected back at some point this week. Whether he makes it for the opener against Philadelphia remains to be seen.
Philadelphia signed guard Trevelin Queen and has re-signed James Harden. A huge player for the 76ers and significant here as a former Milwaukee player. Harden even took a pay cut to allow the team leeway to sign PJ Tucker, De’Anthony Melton, Montrezl Harrell, and Danuel House Jr.
76ers have no injuries to monitor at the time of writing.
2021/22 standings:
Milwaukee: 1st in Central - 3rd in Eastern - 7th in NBA
Philadelphia: 2nd in Atlantic - 4th in Eastern - 8th in NBA
Head-to-head
MIL 2 - 1 PHI
Regular season
MIL 116 - 103 PHI
NBA Playoffs
MIL 20 - 29 PHI
Last game:
MIL 118 - 116 PHI
Rest days:
MIL: >3
PHI: 1
Home/away (H/A) last 3 games
MIL: - - -
PHI: - - A
NBA Championship odds:
Rationale:
The 76ers finished fourth in the Eastern Conference last season.
In the 21 games where they shared the court, Embiid and Harden outscored opponents by 15.5 points per 100 possessions. If they stay fit and injury-free then it seems the 76ers have the strength in depth to make a decent fist of it this season. The markets have them as favourites for this matchup but are backing Milwaukee for the long haul…
Prediction:
Here at The Jump Hub, we’re backing the:
2-star pick **
