The Bucks have been quite disappointing thus far this season, but the Raptors will most likely still struggle to find any momentum in the match. Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo are still struggling to mesh, but they are each superstars who have a certain gravity on the court that could free up the rest of the Milwaukee roster.
The Raptors themselves are coming off a comeback win over the Washington Wizards, really pulling it back in the third and fourth quarters. However, the Wizards are sitting at the bottom of the standings and really shouldn’t have been able to pull ahead of Toronto to begin with.
That is to say, neither of these squads have had any overwhelmingly great showings as of late and have yet to really hit their stride. And that goes double for the Bucks here, because come on, with that roster, they should be at the top of the East.
Nonetheless, the Bucks have Giannis and Dame, and it’s hard to bet against them. Dame can light it up from the three like it’s nothing, and when Giannis gets downhill, he is nigh unstoppable. So it’s easy to agree with bookmakers and give the edge to the Milwaukee Bucks despite the lacklustre start to the season.
Raptors vs Bucks Odds, Spread Prediction
- Pick: Bucks +4.5
- Odds: -323 (Tonybet)
The Raptors may have been able to get the best of the Bucks earlier in November, but it’s unlikely to happen again. Despite their less-than-stellar results, Giannis has been playing like a monster over the last five games and will likely dominate the Raptors in transition and the low post.
So, as long as Dame is able to pick up his abysmal shooting percentages, the Bucks should have this one in the bag. Like, come on, it’s Damian Lillard at the end of the day; shooting 11.1% and 16.7% from three in his last two showings is embarrassing.
The Raptors certainly won’t take a loss lying down, though, beating the Bucks the last time they played them at home. In that game, they absolutely dominated the glass, out-rebounding the Bucks 50-39, which really affected the pace of play.
They also have a much more rounded roster because, despite what we all thought at the beginning of the season, the Bucks have proven to be lacking in depth. Khris Middleton is playing awful, Bobby Portis’s numbers are down, and even Jae Crowder is out with an injury.
Scottie Barnes and Dennis Schroder should be able to have a field day on the offensive side. Because as good as Dame is on the offensive side of the ball, he is average at best on defence, and again, Middleton is really just not there this season.
However, as long as Brooke Lopez actually comes to play and Giannis continues averaging 35PPG like he has over the last 5 games, the Bucks should have this in the bag.
Realistically, if the Bucks’ roster even does a little bit to help out the stunning Antetokounmpo, it shouldn’t be close.
Raptors vs Bucks Player Pick and Betting Tips
- Pick: Giannis Antetokounmpo over 30.5
- Odds: -120 (Tonybet)
As stated above, Giannis has been playing out of his mind over the last several weeks, going as far as to have a 54-point outing against the Pacers. Win or lose, Giannis shows up every day of the week; he has never been one to slow down during the regular season, and he will likely break 31 points against the Raptors.
If you think about it, he is also probably the most frustrated one in this position, as he has been playing spectacularly on a roster that should dominate on paper but just isn’t panning out. And when pushed against the wall, Giannis has proven he is willing to take the game into his own hands.
Simply put, he wants to win at all costs and is willing to take the bulk of his team’s shots on his own to force a win.
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Read more following matches predictions:
- Celtics vs Bucks Prediction 22/11/23
- Bucks vs Mavericks Prediction 18/11/23
- Raptors vs Celtics Prediction 17/11/23
- Raptors vs Wizards Prediction 13/11/23
- NBA Predictions, Picks 27-28/11/23
