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Bucks vs 76ers Odds, Spread and Picks

Eric Rosales

by Eric Rosales in NBA Basketball

Updated Mar 17, 2021 · 8:43 AM PDT

Giannis Antetokounmpo pumped reaction
Giannis Antetokounmpo and the red-hot Milwaukee Bucks are in Philly to take on the 76ers Wednesday night. (Photo by JB Autissier/Panoramic/Icon Sportswire)
  • Surging Milwaukee Bucks in Philly against East-leading 76ers
  • Bucks seeking fifth straight win, Sixers looking for seventh straight win
  • Check the odds, analysis and betting preview below

The Milwaukee Bucks took their lumps in the first half of the season.

Now, they’re the ones doling out the punishment, seeking their fifth straight win and 10th in 11 games as they charge into Philly to take on the 76ers, in a tilt that could very well be a preview of the Eastern Conference Finals.

How hot is Milwaukee? Philly is an East-best 18-3 at home, 21-6 in the conference and riding a six-game win streak, and they’re 6.5-point underdogs at home.

Bucks vs 76ers Odds

Team Spread Moneyline Total
Milwaukee Bucks -6.5 (-106) -260 Ov 237 (-110)
Philadelphia 76ers +6.5 (-114) +215 Un 237 (-110)

Odds from FanDuel taken March 16. Tip-off is Wednesday at 7pm ET

With no Joel Embiid walking through that door, let’s see if the Sixers can steer the Deer to the loss column.

All-Around Giannis

It’s been an historic week for reigning two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who’s spearheading Milwaukee’s hot streak. He ripped apart the Wizards Monday night, with 31 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists in a 133-122 win. It was his third straight triple-double, the only player in Bucks history to accomplish the feat, moving past a guy by the name of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Since dropping five straight, Milwaukee has found its groove in the last 10, with just a single loss to the Denver Nuggets. Over that span, they lead in the NBA in scoring at 120 points a game, while also leading the league in rebounding, just a shade under 50 boards a night.

Where they’ve really picked up the pace is on the defensive side, particularly from beyond the arc. During this hot streak, the Bucks are holding teams to a subpar 34.4% mark from three-point range, which ranks sixth-best in the league — a huge upgrade from their 22nd-place rating over the season.

They’ve also moved into top-5 field goal shooting defense, holding teams to 44.9% shooting in that stretch. But it should be noted the Bucks’ hot streak has just a single win against a marquee opponent (Clippers), with the Knicks the only other team  they’ve beaten sitting in a top-8 position.

Harris the Temporary Closer

It was a struggle for Philly Tuesday night, even with New York playing the second game of a back-to-back.

Thankfully, Tobias Harris has quickly slid into the top option for Philadelphia, and he carried the Sixers to a 99-96 come-from-behind win over the Knicks.

Harris finished with 30 points on a tidy 11-for-20 from the field, chipping in six rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Ben Simmons did much of the other heavy lifting needed, picking up 16 points, 13 rebounds and seven dimes, while shifting between RJ Barrett and Julius Randle to provide that stellar stifling defense.

They got just enough additional scoring, with Seth Curry dropping 20 points, including 4-for-7 from three point range. Dwight Howard (11) and Furkan Korkmaz (12) gave Philly five scorers in double digits.

But it was their vice-like defense that sealed this, holding the Knicks to 5-of-19 from the field in the fourth quarter, as Philly outscored them 26-14 to close out the win.

What’s the Best Bet?

Wednesday marks two years to the day that Antetokounmpo poured in a career-high 52 points against the Sixers in a 130-125 loss in Milwaukee. He’s playing his best basketball of the year, but Philadelphia has shown their defense will be their calling card while they wait for Embiid to return. Look for Simmons and Harris to get a lot of Giannis reps, with plenty of help behind them.

Philadelphia’s defensive rating is second to only the Lakers, and they have held their last two opponents to under 100 points. They’ll try to grind and keep things close, and hope Harris can land the plane in closing time. I think oddsmakers are overlooking Philly’s conference and home stature — and the fact the Bucks are just 7-9 against teams .500 or over. Take the points in this one.

The pick: 76ers +6.5 (-114)

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