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The Philadelphia 76ers will lock horns with the Milwaukee Bucks in an Eastern Conference matchup at the Fiserv Forum Arena on Thursday, February 17. Both sides have faced off only once this season and the Milwaukee Bucks were the team that prevailed on that occasion.
Giannis Antetokounmpo added 31 points and 16 rebounds to lead the way from the front on that night to help the Bucks get to a 118-109 win.
The 76ers come into this game on the back of a blowout loss to the Boston Celtics. Joel Embiid's run of 25+ points in over 20 consecutive games ended as the team lost 135-87 at home. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown were the catalysts behind the win as they combined to score 57 points for the Celtics.
The Milwaukee Bucks, on the other hand, pulled off a stunning win against the Indiana Pacers in their last game. Giannis Antetokounmpo shined for the team as he scored 50 points on the night.
"The Greek Freak" was unstoppable in the game, shooting the ball at 81% efficiency from the field. They will be hoping for a similar performance from him in this game as that will help give them a shot of confidence going into the All-Star break.
Match Details
Fixture: Philadelphia 76ers vs Milwaukee Bucks | NBA Season 2021-22
Date & Time: Thursday, February 17, 9:30 PM ET [Friday, February 18, 7:00 AM IST]
Venue: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI
Philadelphia 76ers Preview
The Philadelphia 76ers were finally able to offload Ben Simmons, however, they also had to give up the likes of Seth Curry and Andre Drummond. But in return the 76ers received the very capable James Harden, giving the city of Philly a renewed sense of hope. The team will now be looking to focus on their primary goal of winning a championship.
Joel Embiid has been great all season and after the All-Star break, he will finally have an MVP level point guard as a running mate in Harden. But before that, they will be looking to win this game as it will be crucial for them to respond strongly to the 48 point blowout they suffered against the Celtics.
The 76ers will be hoping to bring their best to the court and head into the break with a stunning win over the Bucks.
Key Player - Joel Embiid
Joel Embiid has been terrific this season, he has been dominant in the paint and has also shown his brilliance from the mid-range. His streak of scoring 25 points or more lasted 23 games, with Embiid playing like a man possessed over that period. He is currently second in the league in terms of scoring at 29.3 PPG.
Embiid will be looking to have a big night against Giannis and co. to prove how good he can be against the NBA's elites. The last time the two sides faced each other, Embiid was unavailable and this allowed Giannis to impose his will on the 76ers.
This time around, however, the big center will be looking to make things extremely difficult for the two-time MVP.
Philadelphia 76ers Predicted Lineup
G - Tyrese Maxey, G - Danny Green, F - Matisse Thybulle, F - Tobias Harris, C - Joel Embiid
Milwaukee Bucks Preview
The Milwaukee Bucks are currently ranked third in the East with a 36-23 record. They are pretty much in contention to make a top spot finish and given the players they have, one imagines that following the All-Star break, that will be their main target.
Giannis Antetokounmpo has been as dominant as ever and is once again leading the hopes of winning a championship for the team. Another player that has been terrific for the Bucks is Khris Middleton, who was recently named to his third All-Star team.
The duo have been playing together for a while and understand each other's game well. To add to their strengths, the Bucks also have a top two-way player in Jrue Holiday. Going up against the 76ers, the team will be looking to grab a win as that would help them close out their pre-All-Star break campaign in style.
Key Player - Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo is once again in the MVP conversation after all the good work he has done with the Bucks. His 50-point game against the Indiana Pacers has only given him a further boost and will motivate him to get stronger as the season rolls on.
Antetokounmpo is also leading the DPOY rankings courtesy of his hustle on that side of the ball, he also currently holds a defensive rating of 104.8. He will be hoping to continue his form in this game and lead the Bucks to yet another stunning win at home.
Milwaukee Bucks Predicted Lineup
G - Jrue Holiday, G - Jordan Nwora, F - Khris Middleton, F - Giannis Antetokounmpo, C - Bobby Portis
76ers vs Bucks Match Prediction
The 76ers and the Bucks are both stellar teams, and this game has all the looks of a nail-biting encounter. However, considering the form Antetokounmpo is in, the Bucks will head into this game as favorites. But in order to grab a win, they will have to put in a lot of work as the 76ers are not an easy team to break down.
Where to watch the 76ers vs Bucks game?
All games will be available to stream live on the official NBA app. The game between the 76ers vs Bucks will also be locally telecast on NBC Sports Philadelphia and Bally Sports Wisconsin.
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