The Philadelphia 76ers are winless in two tries against the Milwaukee Bucks this season. Can they finally score a win against Giannis Antetokounmpo and company this time around? Check out our preview of this game below.
The Sixers are suddenly on a three-game losing streak after losing to the Bucks last Thursday on the road. That’s now tied for the longest winless skid this season for Philly. The Sixers were doomed in that game with a slow start, as they were outscored by Milwaukee in the first period, 40-26. Joel Embiid led the team with 24 points but he only had 3 rebounds and shot 9-21 from the field. He missed the support of Ben Simmons, who was out with an illness and will continue to be sidelined for Saturday’s game. With Simmons out, the Sixers will have to get better production from the likes of Tobias Harris, Seth Curry, and Tyrese Maxey. Danny Green also has to show up with something after laying an egg in 15 minutes of action. The Sixers are 14th in the NBA with 113.5 points per game and seventh with 108.8 points allowed per contest.
The under is 8-2 in the Sixers’ last 10 road games.
By defeating the Sixers on Thursday, the Bucks were the ones who averted a three-game losing skid. Prior to that win, they lost back to back to the Memphis Grizzlies and the Phoenix Suns, both at home. The Bucks dominated the glass in the win over Philly, 45-33, and made life hard inside for Embiid. That’s not easy to do, but the Bucks have the size and versatility to contain the MVP contender. Speaking of which, Giannis Antetokounmpo went 8-15 from the field and finished with 27 points and 16 rebounds, easily winning his matchup against Embiid. He also benefited from ample scoring support from his teammates, with Khris Middleton and Bobby Portis coming up with 24 and 23 points, respectively. The Bucks’ outside shooting has been a huge problem for Philly’s defense. Milwaukee dropped 20 threes in Thursday’s win, which could definitely happen again. The Bucks are one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the NBA. They are fourth overall with 14.7 threes per game on 39.4 percent accuracy from deep – second in the NBA.
The over is 4-0 in the Bucks’ last four games at home.
