SportsLine's model simulated Milwaukee Bucks vs. Philadelphia 76ers 10,000 times and revealed its NBA picks for Thursday's matchup

“The Bucks got a much-needed 10-point win over the Suns to break a four-game losing streak. Of the remaining schedule, this is the most winnable game outside of a road game at New Orleans. The 76ers have dropped nine straight games and I don’t see that changing here after three straight double-digit losses. It’s Bucks or pass.”

The word “tanking” is now part of the sports lexicon, and bettors are well-versed in this epidemic and fine print as they play a major role in handicapping. The NBA has tweaked rules to curb tanking,

Everything you need to know about the 2025 NBA play-in tournament, including how it works, who's playing and when.

Since the NBA adopted the current play-in format in the 2020-21 season, only two play-in teams have won at least one playoff series. In 2023, the Miami Heat advanced to the NBA Finals as the No. 8 seed, while the Los Angeles Lakers reached the Western Conference Finals as the No. 7 seed.