NBA
8:35 PM EST
Rotation #507-508
Bucks -7 over Raptor
This series has been all about the home court edge and is looking like this is destined to go 7 games. Both teams have dominated on their home court and struggled on the road. This is what you would expect as both teams have one super star and a bunch of role players who typically excel at home but struggle on the road in the playoffs. Youth and playoff experience is the weakness of the Bucks and it shows on the road but their advantage on their home court is undeniable. They have won by an average of 18 points per game at home this playoffs including a 22 point blowout over the Raptors in Game 2. The Raptors evened the series in Game 4 with a blowout of their own but let’s not forget that Milwaukee’s bench outscored Toronto’s by a combined 25 points in the first two games of this series and I expect a similar output in Game 5 now that the Bucks are back on their home floor. On the same token, the Raptors bench who had a playoff high performance last game are due for serious regression on the road. Budenholzer needs to make some adjustments, mainly going back to Brogdon and Bledsoe in the backcourt to spark both of them on the offensive end as well as help speed the Bucks up in transition. The Greek Freak needs to get more touches in the low post or on the wings as opposed to on the key where the Raptors have been collapsing on him. With the Greek Freak being more aggressive and effective inside that will help speed the Bucks up the tempo where they excel and open up the outside for three point shots where the Bucks should be far more efficient at home. If Middleton can continue his roll and the All-Defensive player of the year Bledsoe can precent Lowry from going off again, the result will be the Bucks grabbing a 3-2 series lead and covering the spread. Take the Buck