A year on from finishing with the best overall record in the NBA, the Bucks have remained just as dominant, rolling off 18 consecutive wins—a streak which ended with a loss to the Dallas Mavericks earlier this month—and arrive into the game top of the Eastern Conference with a 27-4 record, the best in the NBA.
Following the loss to the Mavericks, the Bucks have put together another three-game winning streak, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks and thrashing the Indiana Pacers 117-89 at home on Sunday night.
Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 18 points, 19 rebounds and nine assists in 31 minutes as Milwaukee made light work of the Pacers in the second half, after leading by just four points at halftime.
The Bucks outscored Indiana 58-34 in the final two quarters, thanks to a dominant interior presence and a constant threat from beyond the arc.
Milwaukee had a 48-34 advantage in points in the paint and made 15 three-pointers, including five straight in the fourth quarter, when they outscored the Pacers by 18 points.
Speaking after the game, Antetokounmpo admitted the Bucks had lacked momentum in the first half, but found their groove once their offense clicked into gear after the break.
“I felt we were able to make plays,” the reigning MVP told reporters. “Once you see one going in and somebody making a play for the guy next to him, it makes the game a lot easier and gives everybody momentum.”
Following a three-game losing streak last week, meanwhile, Philadelphia arrives into the game on the back of consecutive wins. The Sixers defeated the Washington Wizards 125-108 on Saturday and overcame the Pistons 125-108 in Detroit on Monday night to make it back-to-back wins.
Tobias Harris top scored with 35 points, while Ben Simmons finished with 16 points, a career-high 17 assists and 13 rebounds and Joel Embiid added 20 points and eight rebounds.
The Sixers are fifth in the Eastern Conference standings, 5.5 games behind Milwaukee but just 0.5 games behind the second placed Boston Celtics. Philadelphia is 11-4 in the last 15 games and the matchup against the Bucks on Christmas Day is the last at home before a four-game road trip that will take the team to Orlando, Miami, Indianapolis and Houston.
Here’s everything you need to know about the showdown between the two Eastern Conference powerhouses.
When and where is the game?
The Philadelphia 76ers hosts the Milwaukee Bucks at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday, December 25.
Tip off is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. ET.
TV channel
The game will be broadcast live both and ABC.
Live stream
A live stream will be available via ABC’s digital platforms.
Odds
According to Oddschecker, the Lakers are 2.5-point favorite and are 91/100 to cover the spread, while the Clippers are 6/5 underdogs.
The over/under bar for total points scored is set at 215.