NBA Game of the Week: Milwaukee Bucks vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Two of the best players in the NBA will face off Friday night as the Milwaukee Bucks travel to Philadelphia to take on the 76ers at 7:30 p.m.
This is the second matchup between the two teams this season, the first being on Oct. 20 when the Bucks won narrowly 90-88.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 21 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists, which was enough to fuel the Bucks to win the low-scoring affair.
For the 76ers, James Harden was elite in that game, leading all players with 31 points. Joel Embiid had an uncharacteristic game with only 15 points.
Khris Middleton was a notable absence for the Bucks that game, but the same wrist injury that kept him out then will prevent him from suiting up Friday night.
Harden will also miss the game as he recovers from a foot injury, which is expected to keep him out for a month.
Milwaukee got off to a blazing hot start this season, winning their first nine games. However, since then the Bucks have lost three of their last five games.
The offense is clearly not the same without Middleton, who was an All Star and a 20-point scorer last season.
Last regular season, the Bucks were third in points scored per game with 115.5, but this year are seventeenth with 111.6 points per game.
Defense is still the team’s identity, but they will have to find more ways to score around Antetokounmpo.
The 76ers have been more up and down this season, but manage a 7-7 record.
The team plays slow at times, but they give up the second-fewest points per game, trailing only the Phoenix Suns. This is a big improvement from last season and is most likely due to the additions of P.J. Tucker and De’Anthony Melton.
Embiid is coming off an all-time great performance, nearly getting a quadruple-double with 59 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists and seven blocks to lead the Sixers past the Utah Jazz.
Tyrese Maxey is the second scoring option without Harden in the lineup, averaging 22.8 points per game.
The lack of depth has been the biggest issue for the 76ers this year, as their bench ranks dead last in points. Melton has been a solid addition this offseason, but besides him, the second unit has been underwhelming.
The Bucks and 76ers are similar in that they both heavily rely on their star player.
Antetokounmpo ranks second in usage percentage at 38.2%, and Embiid is right behind him at 37.5%.
Expect each player to compete on both ends of the court and to dominate the team’s offense and defensive system.
These are two of the top two-way players and they finished second and third in MVP voting last season.
This will be an important matchup for the MVP race this season and will be crucial in the race for the top seed in the Eastern Conference.
Prediction: Bucks 109, 76ers 107
Christopher Reynolds is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email him at clr5971@psu.edu.
