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The new-look 76ers will host the Bucks in Philadelphia during both teams’ season opener Wednesday night, but two of their stars will be in street clothes.
Joel Embiid and Paul George will both be sidelined with knee issues, opening up opportunities for Philly’s supporting cast to get first licks in the 2024-25 NBA season.
One 76er, in particular, is set to put up big numbers in Embiid’s absence.
Andre Drummond, who signed a two-year, $10 million contract to return to Philadelphia as Embiid’s backup center over the offseason, will slot into the starting lineup for the 76ers.
It’s been more than a half-decade since Drummond was making All-Star teams with the Detroit Pistons, but he remains one of – if not the best – rebounders in basketball when on the court.
The veteran big man’s rebound total for Wednesday’s game is sitting at 14.5 at most major sportsbooks, which sounds high, but is a number Drummond has easily cleared when in the starting lineup.
Over the past two seasons with the Bulls, Drummond averaged 18.9 rebounds per 36 minutes, which easily led all NBA players with at least 2,000 minutes played over that period by four full boards.
In 10 starts with Chicago last season, Drummond fell short of 15 rebounds just once.
The 76ers are extremely small behind Embiid and Drummond – the 6-foot-5 Caleb Martin will start at power forward – leaving plenty of rebounding opportunities for the only true healthy big man on the roster.
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The Bucks also feature one of the biggest frontcourts in basketball – a combination of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis and Brook Lopez often share the court together – meaning Drummond’s size will be needed in big minutes.
Take advantage of this rare opportunity to cash in on Drummond’s rebounding prowess.
The play: Andre Drummond Over 14.5 rebounds (+100, BetRivers)
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Dylan Svoboda is a versatile writer and analyst across many sports. He’s particularly knowledgeable about the big three — MLB, the NFL and the NBA.
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