If the Sixers And dollar It was contested in a nationally televised opening match and billed as a battle of the Eastern Conference heavyweights.
Milwaukee won the game by 15 points Joel Embiid And Paul George suspend the competition.
From that point on, both teams stumbled. The Bucks enter the week with a record of 4-9, and their other three wins have come against Toronto and Utah – the teams sitting at the bottom of their respective conference standings – and Detroit. The Bucks needed a 59-point outburst Giannis Antetokounmpo and overtime to defeat the Pistons, who would have won in the regular season as a rookie Ron Holland hadn't missed two free throws in the last second.
The Sixers, the biggest spenders on the free-agent market, did even worse. They are 2-10, with both wins coming in overtime.
To be fair, injuries played a big role. Chris Middleton has yet to make his season debut for the Bucks as he recovers from an ankle injury. Damian Lillard hasn't played since last Sunday due to a concussion.
The Sixers haven't seen what their Big 3 can do. Embiid has only appeared in two games and George has missed half of their contests. Tyrese Maxey hasn't played since November 6th due to a hamstring injury.
Despite all of this, it is still eye-opening to see these two franchises at the bottom of the table a month into the season. There were rumors in Milwaukee that Antetokounmpo might demand a change of scenery at some point. Until the Bucks start beating better teams, no one can take them seriously.
Philadelphia will undoubtedly bounce back when Maxey returns, but Embiid's knee issues remain a lingering issue. The Sixers currently rank last in the NBA in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage.
That brings us to today's topic: Do you think the Bucks and Sixers will turn things around or will their problems continue? Which one is more likely to be a competitor this season? Do you think they need to make a difference to change their fortunes or do they just need better luck due to injury?
Please use the comments section to comment on this topic. We look forward to your input.
