Tuck's triple: Will 76ers heed wake-up call? Bucks a 70-win team? Must-win for Philly
Watch Philadelphia 76ers @ Milwaukee Bucks live on Sky Sports Arena in the early hours of Friday morning (1am)
Thursday 6 February 2020 20:18, UK
Since Philadelphia and Milwaukee met on Christmas Day, the Eastern Conference heavyweights have been trending in opposite directions. The Bucks have won 16 of their 18 subsequent games while the 76ers have gone 8-10 over that same span.
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Live NBA: Philadelphia @ Milwaukee
As the teams prepare to meet again, live on Sky Sports, BBL legend and NBA analyst Mike Tuck says the game is extremely important for both teams.
'Thrashing in Miami a wake-up call for Sixers'
The 76ers are a team still trying to find their identity - we are in February right now and they still have not found it! They have lost three games in a row and I think [their most recent loss to] Miami was a kind of the wake-up call for them.
The only guy that really stepped up in that game was Joel Embiid, but he has not been great on a consistent basis. Ben Simmons, I cannot figure him out sometimes and I think that they need to add another guard to help him and even out the floor a little bit more.
I think the Sixers are missing a closer. Josh Richardson has showed up in certain moments this season but he's not a reliable guy where you are going to put the ball in his hands in 'crunch time'. Simmons is a predictable player and it's hard to have the biggest guy on the floor [Embiid] as your closer because you need him around the basket, you need him doing a lot of things.
It's tough. That's the biggest thing for me, they do not have a killer scorer that you can throw the ball to in the last 10 seconds of the shot clock. Tobias Harris had six points against Miami and they are paying him $180m over five years, you cannot have guys disappear in moments like that. Simmons is a very streaky player, he's very predictable and he cannot shoot so it makes him easier to defend in a half-court situation. In a transition situation he is a nightmare because of his length and speed and his passing ability, but in half-court not as much.
Why are Philly so strong at home and so fragile on the road? It could be preparation, attitude, motivation. Some guys do not do too well with negative energy going into a gym. Some guys need that backing and the cheers in the crowd, some guys need that pat on the back.
Head coach Brett Brown is a guy who has always been on the chopping block in Philadelphia. I feel like as soon as something goes wrong the fingers are quickly pointed at him. That could be the thing that they need, a difference at the head coach role just to switch things up and spice things up a little bit.
'Bucks potentially a 70-win team'
There were a lot of question marks about Milwaukee going into this season and I think they have blown all of those out of the water. It's exciting to see. They have won nine out of their last 10 and had some really big wins.
I think they are looking at last year's regular-season record (60-22) and saying 'let's blow this out of the water'. I do not think coach Mike Budenholzer is the type of guy that is just going to lay down. I think he is going to want to keep these guys a well-oiled machine, heading into the playoffs, especially with the disappointment they had in the playoffs last season.
When things are going well, you do not mess with it or tinker too much. 'Bud' is a good coach and he is recognising that. They have just got all the different pieces. Khris Middleton has been stepping up in certain games and obviously Giannis has been having some monster games. It was interesting to watch Wesley Matthews match up against Brandon Ingram [in the Bucks win against the Pelicans on Tuesday night]. Matthews has been their defensive stopper all season long.
The Bucks are well put together, they are well coached and I think they are a group that is very focused and looking forward to the challenge of the playoffs. This is potentially a 70+ win team.
'A must-win game for Philly'
For me, this is a must-win game for Philadelphia. They need to respond because they continue to slip down the totem pole in terms of the East standings. They are in sixth right now and at the beginning of the season we were talking about them finishing first or second.
Now it is looking like [their best case scenario is to] finish fourth. That's a good situation for them [as it would earn them home advantage in the first round of the playoffs].
For Milwaukee, this is a statement game for them [as they look to avenge that Christmas Day loss]. They are playing at home and, given Philly's road record, it is not looking good for the Sixers.
