Bucks vs 76ers Picks & Odds: Milwaukee Has Dominated Philly In Recent Meetings

The Milwaukee Bucks begin their 2022-23 season on Thursday as they head to Wells Fargo Center to take on the Philadelphia 76ers (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS). Can Milwaukee start off on a winning note or will Philadelphia earn the victory in its home opener? Find out in our Bucks vs 76ers prediction.

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Bucks vs 76ers Sportsbook Odds 

The 76ers opened as the slim 1.5-point favorites at home with the total set at 225.5 points. The OVER is 4-1 in the last five meetings between the two teams. Milwaukee has won seven of the last eight contests against Philadelphia, so you may want to consider going with the visitors in your Bucks vs 76ers prediction.

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Antetokounmpo Leads Healthy Bucks Squad Into 2022-23

The Bucks will have somewhat of a bitter taste in their mouths coming into this season after falling well short of their playoff aspirations last year, losing to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

What the Bucks do have going for them, though, is a strong and healthy squad that looks more or less identical to the team that finished third in the East last year. They’ve also got Giannis Antetokounmpo still leading the charge, of course. The 2021 Finals MVP posted a career-best 29.9 points per game last year and finished third in regular-season MVP voting.

Harden Shines In Sixers’ Season-Sportsbook Loss

The 76ers took a loss in their first game of the season, falling 126-117 to the Celtics in Boston. The game was tied going into halftime but the Celtics outscored the Sixers 35-25 in the third quarter, led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, who finished with 35 points apiece. James Harden led Philly with 35 points, his highest total since joining the 76ers last season, while Joel Embiid added 26 points and 15 boards.

While they won’t be happy with the loss, the Sixers will be pleased with what they saw from Harden in their season opener. After being hampered by hamstring issues last season, the 33-year-old looked to be in prime form on Tuesday, shooting 9-for-14 from the field and 5-for-9 from three-point range while dishing out a team-high seven assists. 

Bucks Player Prop: Giannis OVER 25 Points + Bucks Win (+168)

If you’re high on the Bucks, this one will make a lot of sense. Antetokounmpo should be more or less a lock to hit the OVER on 25 points. Add in a Milwaukee victory and you’ve got yourself some juicy odds.

76ers Player Prop: Harden 3+ Three-Pointers + 76ers Win (+154)

We’ve got an intriguing player double for Thursday’s matchup with Harden having to hit three-plus treys to go along with a 76ers win. Harden made five three-pointers last time out and Philadelphia is the favorite going into this contest.

Bucks: Keys To Win

The Bucks often live and die by Antetokounmpo, but we can’t forget how deep their lineup is. Khris Middleton is back in action after missing almost all of the 2022 playoffs, while Jrue Holiday and Bobby Portis should also be key contributors once again. Milwaukee has a stronger starting five than Philadelphia, which should be on display during Thursday’s game.

76ers: Keys To Win

While the Bucks may be deeper, the 76ers arguably possess the stronger one-two punch in Embiid and Harden – assuming that Harden can keep up this pace. Team defense let Philly down against Boston, so they’ll definitely have to shore that up against Milwaukee. If they do, the Sixers could pick up their first win of the year.

NBA Computer Pick: Bucks ML +155

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