Prizing:

1st Place: $25 Amazon gift card

2nd-5th Place: $10 Starbucks gift card

Overview:

On Tuesday, April 18th, the Milwaukee Bucks will take on the Toronto Raptors in game two of their Eastern Conference playoff series.  The Bucks hold a (1-0) series lead.

The Crowd:  

“The Crowd” is projecting a final score of Raptors 102.8 – Bucks 98.1 with an over/under of 200.9.

Statistics (2016-17 season):

Point differential: Raptors +4.3 (5^th) > Bucks -0.2 (tied for 16^th)

Points per game: Raptors 106.9 (10^th) > Bucks 103.6 (20^th)

Points allowed per game: Raptors 102.6 (8^th) > Bucks 103.8 (9^th)

Field Goal Percentage Offense: Bucks 47.4% (4^th) > Raptors 46.4% (11^th)

Three Point Percentage: Bucks 37.0% (10^th) > Raptors 36.3% (13^th)

Field Goal Percentage Defense: Raptors 44.9 (6^th) > Bucks 45.8% (17^th)

Turnovers committed per game: Raptors 11.8 (4^th) > Bucks 13.4 (tied for 18^th)

Turnovers forced per game: Raptors 14.0 (tied for 9^th) = Bucks 14.0 (tied for 9^th)

Rebounds per game: Raptors 43.3 (18^th) > Bucks 40.4 (29^th)

Assists per game: Bucks 24.2 (5^th) > Raptors 18.5 (30^th)

Summary:

Milwaukee pulled off a shocker defeating the Raptors 97-83 on the road in game one.  Toronto has gotten the better of this match-up in recent years going (7-3) in their last ten games against the Bucks.  My biggest takeaway from game one was that Giannis Antetokounmpo is the best player in this series and it’s not even close.  Toronto has nobody who can guard Giannis who scored 28 points on 13 of 18 shooting.  The Bucks were dialed in defensively holding the Raptors to 36% shooting.  All-Stars Kyle Lowry and Demar Derozen combined to shoot 9 of 32 from the field.  The Bucks outrebounded the Raptors 43-39 and Greg Monroe had 15 of those.  Without Jabari Parker it remains to be seen whether the Bucks have enough offensively to pull off the upset in this series. I expect the Raptors to bounce back from this atrocious shooting performance and play much better in game two.

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