It’s a former NBA MVP against the betting favorite for this year’s honor when the Milwaukee Bucks host the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday in a battle of NBA Eastern Conference contenders. Giannis Antetokounmpo, the 2019 and ’20 NBA MVP, leads the defending champion Bucks (36-23), who are third in the East Conference. The Sixers (34-23) are powered by Joel Embiid, the +150 favorite at Caesars Sportsbook to win NBA MVP this season. Philadelphia comes in off an ugly performance in a 135-87 loss to the Celtics on Tuesday. Milwaukee cruised to a 129-119 win the same night against Indiana behind 50 points from Antetokounmpo. The Bucks have won six straight against the Sixers, most recently a 118-109 victory in November.

Tipoff is set for 8:30 p.m. ET at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. Caesars Sportsbook lists Milwaukee as a 6.5-point favorite in its latest 76ers vs. Bucks odds, and the over-under for total points scored is set at 223.5. Before making any Bucks vs. 76ers picks, be sure to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven computer model. 

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks over the past three-plus seasons. The model enters Week 17 of the 2021-22 NBA season on a stunning 67-39 roll on all top-rated NBA picks, returning almost $2,200. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Bucks vs. Sixers, and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NBA betting lines and trends for Sixers vs. Bucks:

• 76ers vs. Bucks spread: Milwaukee -6.5
• 76ers vs. Bucks over-under: 223.5 points
• PHI: They are 18-6 SU and 14-10 ATS since beating Washington on Dec. 26.
• MIL: They are 53-48 ATS as a home favorite since the 2019 season began. 

Why the Bucks can cover

Antetokounmpo dominated Tuesday night, also pulling down 14 rebounds, and he is the league’s top scorer at 29.4 points per game. Milwaukee has ruled the series recently, going 5-1 against the spread during its six-game win streak. It has averaged 119 points in the six games while allowing 104. The Bucks are averaging 113.1 per game this season (sixth in NBA) while allowing less than 110 (16th), and Philly scores just 107.2 (21st). Milwaukee also is third in the NBA in rebounding, pulling down 46.5 per game, led by Antetokounmpo’s 11.3 (seventh).

Khris Middleton (19.4 points), Jrue Holiday (18 points, team-high 6.7 assists) and Grayson Allen (11.5 points) are part of a strong stable of shooters. Allen and Middleton both shoot better than 36 percent from outside and combine for almost five threes per game. Holiday, Bobby Portis (15.3 points) and Pat Connaughton (10.1) are all above 40 percent as the Bucks, who are 20-10 SU at home, rank fifth in the NBA from outside the arc (36.2). Portis averages 9.2 rebounds, and Philadelphia struggles on the boards, ranking last in the league with just 42.3 per contest.

Why the 76ers can cover

Philadelphia is 5-0 ATS in its last five games as a road underdog. It remains Embiid’s team, at least until James Harden joins the lineup after the All-Star break, and the big man has willed the team into contention. He will be eager to rebound from the abysmal loss Tuesday, when he scored 19 points to break a string of 31 straight games with at least 25 points. He is second in the league in scoring, just behind Antetokounmpo, at 29.3 points. He will have some fire in his belly Thursday night as he faces the two-time MVP while trying to claim the honor for himself.

Embiid also gets just over 11 rebounds, one steal and 1.5 blocks per game, and he gets strong support from Tobias Harris, who averages 18.6 points and 7.3 rebounds. The Sixers, who are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games following an ATS loss, have the NBA’s seventh-best defense (105.7 points per game). They are also tied for fourth in blocked shots (5.6), with Matisse Thybulle averaging more than one per game. Tyrese Maxey (16.9 points), Shake Milton (10.1) and Thybulle (5.3) will be eager to atone for a combined 5-of-27 shooting performance Tuesday.

How to make Bucks vs. 76ers picks

SportsLine’s model is leaning under on the total, projecting 217 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits over 50 percent of the time. You can only see the model’s pick at SportsLine.

So who wins Sixers vs. Bucks? And which side of the spread hits over 50 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.