Tuesday's two-game slate was a nice appetizer, but the NBA season truly feels like it is back today, with 10 exciting matchups, including the Milwaukee Bucks versus the Philadelphia 76ers.
While some hype around this Eastern Conference matchup will be gone since former MVP Joel Embiid and All-Star forward Paul George are sidelined, there will still be plenty of talent on the floor for two championship-contending teams.
Below, we dive into my favorite NBA same-game parlay for this Bucks vs. 76ers matchup, which features Tyrese Maxey recording fewer than eight assists and scoring 30 points or more, and the Milwaukee Bucks to win outright.
NBA Same-Game Parlay for Bucks vs 76ers
- Tyrese Maxey Under 7.5 Assists (-138)
- Tyrese Maxey To Score 30+ Points (+100)
- Milwaukee Bucks Moneyline (-166)
Parlay Odds:Â +774 on FanDuel
Remember to bet responsibly — this is a long shot for a reason.
Tyrese Maxey Under 7.5 Assists (-138) & 30+ Points (+100)
7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN
Incoming: hero ball.
Maxey will be without Embiid and George, which means he will have to either score or facilitate virtually every offensive possession in the half-court.
But the reality is that Maxey will be scoring much more than facilitating in this game.
In the 34 regular-season games that Maxey played without Embiid last season, he recorded eight or more assists in just seven games. At -138 odds, the implied probability that he logs seven or fewer assists is just shy of 58%.
However, the under's hit rate on this line in similar circumstances (playing without Embiid) during the 2023-24 campaign was more than 79%, marking a 21% difference.
But here's the most shocking statistic: Maxey averaged 1.2 assists fewer without Embiid (5.6) than with him (6.8), so the substantial increase in usage did not translate to more assists.
We can rely on Maxey to shoot a ton, and we love his chances of posting a significant number on Milwaukee, who has one of the weakest defensive backcourts in the NBA.
In fact, the Bucks backcourt gave up the third-most points per game to opposing point guards of any team in the league last season.
Unsurprisingly, Maxey hung 30+ points on the Bucks in two of the three regular-season games he played against them last year.
This should be an optimal time to back him, as he will have to put up a massive number to keep the Sixers within relative striking distance.
Side note: if you want to get aggressive, you can consider adding Maxey to make 5+ 3-pointers to the 'lay since he has accomplished that feat in two of his past four regular-season outings against Milwaukee.
Milwaukee Bucks Moneyline (-166)
7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN
My faith in the 76ers with Kelly Oubre Jr. as the second-best offensive option is nonexistent.
The Sixers will roll out Oubre, Eric Gordon, Caleb Martin, and Andre Drummond to complement Maxey in the starting lineup.
Even against the Bucks' horrendous defensive backcourt, Philly stands little chance of putting up enough points to keep up with Milwaukee.
Without Embiid on the floor, Philly does not have a trustworthy rim protector, giving Giannis the green light to attack the rim as much as he wants.
Once the double comes, he can kick out to reliable shooters like Lopez, Portis, Lillard, Trent, and the list goes on and on.
This is a really bad matchup for an already-injury-riddled Philly squad.
