preview and picks before tipoff

Highlights

• The Bucks and the 76ers, two of the top teams in the East, square off for a Sunday afternoon showdown.
• Milwaukee has been up-and-down all season long, but is coming off a big win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, the West’s No. 1 seed.
• The 76ers continue to rely on Tyrese Maxey with Joel Embiid still sidelined with a torn meniscus.

Two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference square off for an early Sunday afternoon showdown as Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks visit the Philadelphia 76ers. The Bucks and 76ers are considered legitimate title contenders in the East. However, both teams still face major challenges ahead of the postseason.

The Bucks are coming off a big 112-107 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves, to kick off the final stretch of the regular season with a win. Led by Antetokounmpo’s 33 points, Milwaukee just managed to hold off the Timberwolves, who outscored the Bucks 37-25 in the final period thanks to a massive 14-point quarter from Anthony Edwards.

The Bucks led by as much as 17 points in the fourth quarter before the Timberwolves went on a huge run to cut the lead down to as low as three points with 31.4 seconds remaining. But Damian Lillard activated Dame Time and put the game to bed with a clutch step-back jumper with just under 10 seconds remaining.

Doc Rivers’ tenure as the Bucks’ head coach gotten off to a rocky start, as they went just 3-7 in their first 10 games with their new coach. This recent win against the West’s No. 1 seed should be a good game to build off as they continue to navigate through this adjustment period through this critical stretch of the season.

Meanwhile, reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid still does not have a timetable to return as he continues to recover from a torn meniscus. With Embiid out, Tyrese Maxey, Buddy Hield, and Tobias Harris have been holding down the fort for the 76ers.

Philadelphia recovered from a 110-96 loss to the New York Knicks on Thursday and took down the No. 2 seed Cleveland Cavaliers the following night, 104-97, thanks to an all-around effort from the entire team. Led by Tyrese Maxey’s 24 points, the 76ers took advantage of Cavs star Donovan Mitchell’s absence. Philadelphia held Cleveland to just 42.5 percent shooting from the field and 29.6 percent from beyond the arc.

The Bucks and 76ers last met on opening night, with Milwaukee just barely getting past Philly with a 118-117 win.

Injury report and how to watch

Bucks

• Khris Middleton (OUT – Left ankle sprain)
• Giannis Antetokounmpo (PROBABLE – Right knee patellar tendinitis)

76ers

• Joel Embiid (OUT – Left meniscus)
• Robert Covington (OUT – Left knee bone bruise)
• KJ Martin (OUT – Right ankle impingement)

How to watch:

Betting Lines

Bucks are favored on the road against 76ers

Point Spread: Bucks -4.5 (-110) / 76ers +7 (-110)

Money Line: Bucks (-194) / 76ers (+162)

Over/Under: 231.5 (-110)

Our Picks

GMS presents our picks, from props to parlays

Point spread bet: Bucks -4.5 (-110)

The Bucks are kind of hard to predict as they have been up-and-down throughout the season. Milwaukee’s record against the spread (22-35) hasn’t been that good, either. Moreover, they are just 10-17 on the road, including 8-13 as away favorites. Still, considering the 76ers remain without Joel Embiid, it would be safer to roll with Milwaukee in this early Sunday afternoon showdown. Despite blowing a big lead, the Bucks are still coming off a big win against the top seed in the West and should enter their game against the 76ers with some momentum and a lot more confidence.

Points bet: Tyrese Maxey OVER 30 points (+145)

Tyrese Maxey scored 31 points during the 76ers’ opening day loss to the Bucks. It could be a smart move to bet on him getting a repeat performance, especially since he is the No. 1 option this time around.

Without Joel Embiid, the 76ers have leaned on Tyrese Maxey to lead the way for them offensively. Maxey earned his first All-Star appearance last weekend thanks to career-high averages of 25.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 6.4 assists. He has scored at least 30 points in 15 games this season, which include two 50-point explosions.

Since Embiid suffered his meniscus injury, Maxey is averaging 26.7 points on 45.1 percent field goal shooting. Going up against a weak Bucks perimeter defense, the 23-year-old guard could be in for a big night.

Parlay bet: Buddy Hield OVER 20 points and OVER 4 assists (+607)

Buddy Hield has slowed down a bit since returning from the All-Star break, scoring 27 points on just 41.7 percent shooting in his previous two outings. But he had a strong for the 76ers when he initially arrived after the trade deadline. Hield scored over 20 points in each of his first four games in Philly. He dished at least six assists in each of his first five games, as well. With his improved production and playmaking in Philadelphia, it might not hurt to bet on Hield tallying a 20+ point and 4+ assist performance.

All odds and lines courtesy of FanDuel.