basketball | Thursday, October 20, 2022 12:04 PM (Revised at: Thursday, October 20, 2022 12:25 PM)

Philadelphia 76ers vs Milwaukee Bucks Bet Builder Tips: 6.00 Bet Builder for Thursday Night

Sam Cox

Philadelphia 76ers vs Milwaukee Bucks Bet Builder Tips: Thursday, October 20th

Two of the favourites in the Eastern Conference in the Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks go head-to-head on Thursday night. Philadelphia lost its opener against the Boston Celtics, while the Bucks are beginning their season in the City of Brotherly Love. Milwaukee is without Khris Middleton, Pat Connaughton and Joe Ingles.

Philly is 4.5-point favourites for this one despite a lacklustre defensive performance on Tuesday night. Joel Embiid looked a long way from his best, and Tyrese Maxey was a non-factor for much of the game.

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Philadelphia 76ers vs Milwaukee Bucks Preview
Philadelphia 76ers vs Milwaukee Bucks Bet Builder

Philadelphia 76ers vs Milwaukee Bucks Preview

Fri, Oct 21. 00:30 (UK time)

Returning home is a boost for the Sixers, though their record at Wells Fargo Center wasn’t great in 2021-22. With the standards Giannis Antetokounmpo and co set in the playoffs, it is hard to have much faith in Philadelphia to cover the 4.5-point spread. Instead, let’s push that number up to 7.5 and wager on the Bucks to keep this close. Philly’s interior defence was poor two days ago, and that is a major problem when facing Antetokounmpo.

Despite Philadelphia’s unconvincing defence and some fundamental personnel issues on that end of the floor, this game seems like a good opportunity to bet the under. The Sixers went under in 53.3% of games last season, and the Bucks went under in 52.1%. Again going for an alternate line, under 231.5 is a number we can feel comfortable with.

After the All-Star break in 2021-22, of players to appear in more than five games only two averaged more steals than Jrue Holiday. The former Pelican is a menace on the defensive end, capable of disrupting passing lanes and providing well-timed help. Joel Embiid and James Harden combined for nine giveaways on Tuesday – Holiday will be a nuisance for both, guarding Harden aggressively and assisting his teammates when Embiid is on the block.

Holiday averaged a pair of steals per game in the second half, and had two or more in six of his last seven postseason outings. The 1.5 line is low here.

Philadelphia 76ers vs Milwaukee Bucks Bet Builder

Embiid might not have been at his best against the Celtics, but he still grabbed 15 rebounds and scored 26 points. The MVP candidate is a double-double machine, with 46 last season and eight in 10 postseason appearances.

Embiid put up 29 and 14 and 42 and 14 in his games against Milwaukee. While the Bucks have two good options to guard Embiid in Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez, the Sixers centre is still going to be a force on the boards and should reach 10 rebounds pretty easily, particularly with how often he’s rolling to the rim as a screener for Harden and Maxey.