James Harden will not appear when the Philadelphia 76ers open their regular season schedule on Thursday. Harden is not with the team, though the 76ers will visit Fiserv Forum to take on the Milwaukee Bucks in a battle of elite-level teams. Philadelphia won 54 games a year ago, and reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid leads the way for the 76ers. Milwaukee won 58 games and added Damian Lillard to go along with two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET from Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. SportsLine consensus lists Milwaukee as 6-point favorites. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over/under, is 227.5 in the latest 76ers vs. Bucks odds. Before you make any Bucks vs. 76ers picks, you need to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s advanced computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five seasons. The model finished the 2022-23 NBA season on a 72-39 roll on all top-rated NBA picks, returning nearly $2,800. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on 76ers vs. Bucks and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting lines for 76ers vs. Bucks:
- 76ers vs. Bucks spread: Bucks -6
- 76ers vs. Bucks over/under: 227.5 points
- 76ers vs. Bucks money line: Bucks -243, 76ers +198
- PHL: The 76ers were 26-20-1 against the spread in 2022-23 road games
- MIL: The Bucks were 24-18-2 against the spread in 2022-23 home games
- 76ers vs. Bucks picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the 76ers can cover
The 76ers will be without Harden but they still have one of the best players in the NBA with Embiid. Embiid won the 2023 NBA MVP award after leading the NBA with 33.1 points per game. That was his second straight scoring title, and he is the first center to win back-to-back scoring titles since 1976. Embiid also shot a career-best 54.8% from the field while averaging 10.2 rebounds and 1.7 blocked shots per game.
The 76ers were in the top three of the NBA in offensive efficiency, scoring 1.17 points per possession, and led the league in 3-point accuracy (38.7%) and free throw accuracy (83.5%) last season. The 76ers were also in the top eight in free throw creation (25.1 attempts per game), field goal percentage (48.7%), and fast break points per game (14.7). See which team to pick here.
Why the Bucks can cover
Milwaukee has the benefit of a raucous crowd for the season opener at Fiserv Forum. The Bucks were 32-9 at home during the regular season in 2022-23, out-scoring opponents by 6.0 points per 100 possessions. Milwaukee also has an earned reputation as an elite defensive team, anchored by Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez on the back line. The Bucks were No. 4 in the NBA in defensive efficiency last season, giving up only 110.9 points per 100 possessions.
Milwaukee was even better on defense at home, and the Bucks were dominant in key categories. No team was better in dissuading 2-point attempts than Milwaukee, with opponents shooting only 51.4% inside the arc. The Bucks were also in the top three of the league in defensive rebound rate (74.5%), field goal percentage allowed (45.6%), free throw attempts allowed (21.0 per game), and assists allowed (23.9 per game) in 2022-23. See which team to pick here.
How to make 76ers vs. Bucks picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the point total, with eight players projected to score more than 14 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in almost 60% of simulations. You can only see the model’s NBA picks at SportsLine.
So who wins 76ers vs. Bucks, and which side of the spread hits in nearly 60% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the 76ers vs. Bucks spread you need to jump on Thursday, all from the model that returned nearly $2,800 on its NBA picks in 2022-23, and find out.
