Philadelphia (35-21) at Milwaukee (47-8)
When: Saturday, February 22nd, 2020
Where: Fiserv Forum,
Milwaukee, WI
Time: 8:35 ET | TV: ABC
Opening Odds: Milwaukee -8.5/226.5
The Philadelphia 76ers’ last 11 games have mirrored most of their season and they look to ‘buck’ that trend on Saturday night when they visit the Milwaukee Bucks on ABC’s Game of the Week. The 76ers went into the All-Stark Break winning their last three (all at home) and came out with a 112-104 overtime home win versus the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday. The team is just 6-5 overall in the last 11 games – 6-0 at home and 0-5 on the road. For the season, Philly is an NBA-best 26-2 at Wells Fargo Center, but just 9-19 on the road and their last game away from home was in Milwaukee – a 112-101 loss on Feb. 6. The road-challenged 76ers will play six of their next eight away from home. All-Star center Joel Embiid was just 6-of-26 at Milwaukee last time, but led the way with 39 points and 16 rebounds in the win over the Nets Thursday. The Bucks dropped their final game prior to the All-Star break with superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo sitting out following the birth of his first child, but came out of the break with an easy road win – 126-106 at Detroit. Antetokounmpo and fellow All-Star Khris Middleton combined for 61 points and 24 rebounds. Milwaukee owns a seven-game cushion over second place Toronto in the Eastern Conference and have won five of the last eight meetings with the 76ers.
76ers shooting guard Alec Burks, who was acquired from the Golden State Warriors prior to the trade deadline, scored 19 points on 6-of-11 shooting Thursday after scoring two points in his first game with the team on Feb. 11. Philly won on Thursday with All-Star Ben Simmons (back tightness) sidelined and Embiid stepped up. One of Embiid’s most impressive performances in the first half of the season came at home against Milwaukee on Christmas Day, when he helped his team to a 121-109 victory (31 points, 11 boards). The 76ers are just a half-game behind the Miami Heat for the all-important No. 4 seed in the East and will host Atlanta on Monday.
Milwaukee center Brook Lopez has upped his game lately, averaging 15.1 points in February after managing 9.4 in January. The Bucks welcomed back George Hill (hamstring) on Thursday after a seven-game absence and will be an important piece for the team’s run to an NBA title. Hill contributed four points, three assists and three steals in 20 minutes. Veteran point guard Eric Bledsoe scored 19 points versus the Pistons and hit 8-of-14 shots after going 4-for-11 in his previous game. Milwaukee will be at the Washington Wizards on Monday.
The Bucks will win this game and if the recent trend holds, they’ll cover this spread. Milwaukee’s last 10 victories have all been by double-digits and given the 76ers’ road woes, I’ll call for No. 11 in a row.
Check out who Bobby Babowski has on his Free NBA Picks page for Saturday. He is 61-51-3 on the season!
Pick: Bucks -8.5
76ers are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
76ers are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
76ers are 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 Saturday games.
76ers are 5-15-1 ATS in their last 21 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
76ers are 4-12-1 ATS in their last 17 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
76ers are 6-19-2 ATS in their last 27 road games.
76ers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS win.
76ers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
76ers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games as an underdog.
76ers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games playing on 1 days rest.
76ers are 0-7-1 ATS in their last 8 games as a road underdog.
76ers are 0-7-1 ATS in their last 8 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Bucks are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games as a favorite.
Bucks are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 Saturday games.
Bucks are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
Bucks are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
Bucks are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
Bucks are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
Bucks are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games playing on 1 days rest.
Bucks are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS win.
Bucks are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win.
Bucks are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points.
Bucks are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as a home favorite.
Bucks are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
Bucks are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.
Bucks are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games.
Bucks are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games after scoring more than 125 points in their previous game.
Bucks are 23-9 ATS in their last 32 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
Bucks are 24-11 ATS in their last 35 home games following a road trip of 7 or more days.
Bucks are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Under is 4-0 in 76ers last 4 Saturday games.
Under is 9-1 in 76ers last 10 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Under is 8-1 in 76ers last 9 games as an underdog.
Under is 6-1 in 76ers last 7 games as a road underdog.
Under is 6-1 in 76ers last 7 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Over is 6-1 in 76ers last 7 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Over is 4-1 in 76ers last 5 games following a straight up win.
Under is 7-2 in 76ers last 9 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Under is 8-3 in 76ers last 11 road games.
Over is 6-1 in Bucks last 7 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Under is 5-1 in Bucks last 6 Saturday games.
Over is 5-1 in Bucks last 6 home games following a road trip of 7 or more days.
Over is 4-1 in Bucks last 5 games as a home favorite.
Over is 4-1 in Bucks last 5 home games.
76ers are 1-4 ATS in the last 5 meetings in Milwaukee.
Over is 6-2 in the last 8 meetings in Milwaukee.
Over is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings.
