It’s a battle of two former MVPs as Joel Embiid and the Sixers and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Bucks will open their respective seasons against each other on Oct. 26.
While it may not feel like it, the NBA season is just around the corner, and the closer we get, the more matchups find their way to the public eye. After it was announced that the Philadelphia 76ers will face off against the Miami Heat on Christmas day, the details of the team’s season opener have now been made public.
The Sixers will find themselves in Milwaukee on Oct. 26 to face Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks as they open their respective regular seasons. The Athletic’s Shams Charania was the first to report.
Where the Sixers and Bucks stand
The Bucks are coming off of a heartbreaking finish to last season, which saw the team fall in the first round for the first time since 2018. While the team that sent them packing, the Miami Heat, did eventually make it to the Finals, that surely is of no consolation to the Bucks. It could fuel them if anything, if they feel they could have traveled the same path if they had defeated the eighth seed in front of them.
Philadelphia is, of course, coming off of its own season of disappointment. While Joel Embiid did secure his first MVP at long last, the team once again sputtered out in the second round of the playoffs. Not only is the loss difficult to stomach but how they lost — speaking of the poor performances of James Harden and Joel Embiid, is even tougher to swallow. The Sixers will be looking to bounce back in a big way this season; however, by all accounts, they will have to do so without James Harden, who continues to request a trade to the Los Angeles Clippers.
How did they match up last season?
In four total games against each other, the Sixers and Bucks tied at two games apiece. This season, each side will look to earn the advantage over the other, with Milwaukee enjoying a homecourt advantage in their first matchup. The Bucks have dominated the series in recent years, winning nine of twelve between 2018 and 2022 — with a home record of 5-2 in that time, but the Sixers will do all they can to flip the script moving forward.
A star-studded matchup with some history on opening night? Sign me up.
