The Milwaukee Bucks versus the Toronto Raptors

The Two Seed Milwaukee Bucks versus the Seventh Seed Toronto Raptors, I am honestly very excited for this one. I think the Toronto Raptors have underachieved this year due to injuries and that record does not show you exactly what that team is. They have two players who combine for 60 points per game in Kevin Durant and Jalen Brunson but we’ll get into that a little later. The Milwaukee Bucks have Mr. Foul Baiter himself, Shai Gilgeous Alexander. Mr. THIRTY SEVEN points per game. Along with a defensive Juggernaut in Evan Mobley next to him. The Bucks team may be the best defensive team out there, with Dort and Mobley heading the two the team and a solid rim protector in Poetl and another very solid wing defender in Andrew Wiggins. I think this series could go either way and it really just depends on what stars outshine who and what role players step up because the Bucks have about 8 guys who can do that for them and meanwhile Raptors are very reliant on their stars on getting this done, which is still very much doable. 

Stars in this Series

We’ll start off with the Two-seeded Bucks stars and that’s Shai Gilgeous Alexander and Evan Mobley. Shai Gilgeous is a top 3 point scorer in the NSL only behind two guys who are averaging 40 points per game. He himself could win games by his lonesome off the back of his scoring. Mix that in with solid playmaking, elite at drawing fouls and also an underrated defender, Shai is definitely the best player in this series. His Robin is going to be Evan Mobley, one of the BEST if not the BEST defender in the NBA. What I would like to see from Evan this series is take advantage of the Kevin Durant matchup on the offensive side of the ball. I don’t think the 11 points per game is going to be enough to beat a high powered offense like the Raptors have and then of course I want him to take on the challenge of following Kevin Durant all game long and making his life difficult. Now on the other end, you have Kevin Durant. One of the best scorers to ever do it and can STILL do it at a high clip. He’s going to be the X-factor in this series in my opinion because the raptors are in this predicament as a 7th seed because of the time he has missed in the first place. I think his defensive assignment won’t cause him too much problems in Mobley as he isn’t a 3-level scorer like Kevin Durant is accustomed to guarding so I think he won’t have to work as hard as he would on a traditional wing. And then you add in Jalen Brunson, who is probably the best TRUE point guard scorer in the NBA right now, no matter what the numbers say. He can put anyone on an island and get to the line or get off his shot at any time, he’s going to be a problem all series long but he may struggle a bit on the other end having to pick up Shai. 

Predictions

This series can genuinely go either way in my opinion. Toronto goes out there with a starting lineup of all guys who can knock down the three ball, especially with Myles Turner, they’re able to go 5 Out and also get out and run. Their biggest worry is going to that bench because after Amir Coffey and Sam Merrill it gets really dark for Toronto on that bench. We’ll see if their bench can hold up just enough and not let the Bucks blow the game open. I think the Bucks biggest strength in this matchup is being able to go to their bench and not have a big drop off, like Andrew Wiggins (if he remains coming off of the bench, he spent a majority of the year starting) being their second leading scorer off the bench. Of course, their stars and having the best player is also going to help but them being a complete team, going down the whole roster is what is going to get them over the line in this series I think. I just don’t think the Raptors can hang on throughout the entire series with that weak of a bench. I think this series probably goes 7 games. I find it difficult for the Bucks to end it in Toronto, home crowd, Kevin Durant, Jalen Brunson, that seems too tough to do but I can definitely see them closing it out at home in seven in a very exciting series. DO NOT be surprised if we see Toronto in 6 though.