Bucks Laying 2 Points in Philadelphia to Sixers in Christmas Battle of East’s Elite

• NBA-leading Bucks visit 76ers on Christmas Day in a battle of East contenders
• Philadelphia allows fewest three-point attempts per game; Milwaukee ranks third in three-point attempts
• Get the odds, our pick, and all the info you need to bet the game below

The Philadelphia 76ers (22-10, 15-2 home) are the next East contender that will get their chance to take down the Milwaukee Bucks (27-4, 12-2 away), when they host the first of three regular season meetings between the two teams on Christmas Day. Tip-off is scheduled for 2:30pm ET.

Milwaukee Bucks vs Philadelphia 76ers Odds

Odds taken December 24th

Since staring the year at 2-2, the Bucks have proceeded to rip off 25 wins in their next 27. But they’re not necessarily betting darlings: the Bucks are just 18-13 ATS this season. The Sixers, meanwhile, are finding their way with some new pieces in what can only be described as a unique roster configuration and system.

How will this one play out?

Giannis Has Teams Fearing the Deer

This is currently Giannis Antetokounmpo’s world.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has scored 25+ PTS on 50% shooting or better in 13 straight games. The only other player to accomplish this since the start of the 1976-77 season was Shaquille O'Neal, who had 13 straight such games from Jan. 7-Feb. 20, 2001. pic.twitter.com/NQtAEUPSGA

— NBA.com/Stats (@nbastats) December 20, 2019

The reigning MVP has upped his game in considerable ways from last year. He’s pushed his scoring average up to 31 points per game from 27.7, while also adding 12.5 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.3 steals and 1.2 blocks. His effective field goal percentage is at a career-high 60.9%, but the most notable part of his game is the development of his shaky jumper. Giannis is hoisting a career-high 5.1 three-point attempts a game, and hitting at a respectable 34.2% clip.

💦 @Giannis_An34 buries a CAREER-HIGH 5⃣ 3-pointers to lead the @Bucks past LAL and to the best record (25-4) in the NBA!

34 PTS | 11 REB | 7 AST | 5 3PM pic.twitter.com/v2pRI2m9Ry

— NBA (@NBA) December 20, 2019

The Bucks are posting an insane 13.4-point differential, with blows away the rest of the NBA. Offensively, they’re the second-best shooting team in the league at 48.2% a night. This includes nearly 40 three-point attempts per game (third), at a healthy 36.1% clip.

Defensively, they’re leading the league in rating at 101.4, holding teams to a league-low 41.4% shooting from the field and are in the top-10 in points allowed per game. They’re a complete team that’s also got major depth behind Giannis: the Bucks boast five players that score in double figures, and two others, Donte DiVincenzo and Wes Matthews, both averaging over eight points a contest.

Embiid, Sixers, Seeking Consistency

While the Sixers certainly have the talent to rise past Toronto, Boston and Miami, who are all just a tier below Milwaukee, they’re going to have to figure out some things to get to the next level.

This is where the 76ers thrive, when they get out in transition before the defense can get set pic.twitter.com/5zNN1NRTOj

— Off the Glass (@otgbasketball) December 22, 2019

They employ a rugged half court defense. They rank fourth in points allowed, by limiting teams to just under 85 field goal attempts per game (third), while holding the opposition to a league-low 27.2 three-point attempts per night.

🚫 @Al_Horford

✌ @tobias31 pic.twitter.com/IempbXDjtY

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) December 24, 2019

They’re still a work in progress offensively. Newly acquired Al Horford brings a bunch of intangibles, defense, passing and overall heady play. Josh Richardson, also new this year, is leading the starters, shooting the three at a 36% clip, but he’s hardly a knockdown shooter.

Tobias Harris is second on the team in scoring, but his shooting touch has abandoned him, as he’s currently at 31.1% from beyond the arc. Ben Simmons, of course, is the infamous non-shooter on the roster.

.@JoelEmbiid had a night.

33 PTS | 17 REB

🎥⤵️ pic.twitter.com/5cvwBrpRjr

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) December 21, 2019

But all of this can work if Joel Embiid becomes the franchise cornerstone that delivers on a nightly basis. Since going scoreless for the first time in his career in a loss to Toronto, in the next 13 games Embiid has gone for 30+ points in four times, and scoring better than 22 points in six others. He’s also been great on the glass, picking up double-digit rebounds in 11 games.

What’s the Best Bet?

Philly is tied with Milwaukee for most home wins this season, and should go toe-to-toe with the Bucks. Milwaukee enters this one allowing the fewest points in the paint per game at 39, but Embiid, Horford and Simmons will provide one of the bigger lineups they’ll see this season.

Can the Sixers capitalize on Milwaukee’s 36.5% three-point percentage D (20th)? Perhaps, but with Giannis playing at his current level, it likely won’t matter.

The pick: Bucks ML (-130)