Oct 14, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) warms up before game against the Chicago Bulls at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

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76ers vs. Bucks: Prediction, odds and top picks

Milwaukee Bucks take on Philadelphia 76ers in the first game of their season.

Oct 14, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) warms up before game against the Chicago Bulls at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia 76ers will host the Milwaukee Bucks for their NBA season opener on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, at 7:30 PM ET.

Interestingly, the 76ers and Bucks will be meeting in the season opener for the third consecutive season. While there is a lot of anticipation surrounding the matchup, both teams won’t be playing at full strength.

Khris Middleton, who is recovering from an ankle surgery he had during the off-season, will miss out on the game. On the flip side, the 76ers will be without both Joel Embiid and Paul George. While George will miss the game with a knee injury, Embiid will reportedly be on the sidelines for the 76ers’ first 3 NBA games.

For this matchup, the Bucks are slightly favored with a 58.7% chance of winning their matchup against the 76ers according to ESPN Analytics.

Bucks at 76ers odds

As per ESPN Bet

Moneyline (ML): Bucks -168 | 76ers +142
Spread: Bucks -3.5 (EVEN) | 76ers +3.5 (-110)
Over/Under (O/U): 223.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)

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How to watch 76ers vs. Bucks

Game: Philadelphia 76ers vs. Milwaukee Bucks
Date: Wednesday, October 23, 2024
Time: 7:30 PM ET / 4:30 PM PT
Venue: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
TV: ESPN

76ers vs. Bucks Picks and Predictions

The Bucks are entering the game as slight favorites in their road game against the 76ers. Last season, the Bucks’s games averaged 223.5 points, while the 76ers played 43 games that averaged more than 223.5 points.

Given these trends, the over is a tempting bet for this game, particularly with both teams fielding strong offensive lineups on Wednesday.

Key Betting Trends

The 76ers have won just one of their last nine season openers against Central Division opponents.
The Bucks have lost just one of their last seven season openers.
The road team has covered the spread in four of the 76ers’ last five games in the NBA.

Player’s Prop

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s numbers last season were 30.4 points, 11.5 boards, and 6.5 assists per game, shooting 61.1% from the floor (seventh in the NBA).
Damian Lillard averaged 24.3 points, 4.4 boards, and 7.0 assists per game last season,
Tyrese Maxey scored 25.9 points and dished out 6.2 assists per game last season.
Andre Drummond hauled in an average of 9.0 boards in each contest while scoring 8.4 points per game last season.

Best bet for 76ers vs. Bucks

Betting on the Bucks for their season opener against the 76ers seems like the better option as of now. Despite having a slow start to their pre-season, the Milwaukee side will most likely do enough to get the better of a 76ers side that would be missing their star player, Joel Embiid.

Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images