NBA Eastern Conference Finals: Milwaukee Bucks, Toronto Raptors’ Game 1 Odds

Raptors Bucks Eastern Conference Finals prediction pick

Getty Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard and Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo

The Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors have been the two best teams in the East all season.

Tonight they’ll duel it out in the NBA’s Eastern Conference Finals.

In the past decade, the Toronto Raptors have made the playoffs for five straight seasons. However, they’ve failed to make it to the NBA Finals since 2015-2016 because of LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Well, this year is different.

With LeBron James’ departure out of the NBA’s Eastern Conference, Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green came over to the Raptors and the team has been successful this season despite Leonard missing 22 games this season.

As a result, the Toronto Raptors finished with a record of 58-24 (seven more wins then last season) and finished second in the East (one spot higher then last season).

Players like Pascal Siakam took on higher roles and dominated the game. Siakam played his way into being a candidate for the NBA’s Most Improved Player of the Year award.

Million Dollar Question: Will this improved Raptors team continue to play the way they have been throughout the season and in the 2019 NBA Playoffs against a highly favored Milwaukee Bucks?

There’s a mixed bag of opinions.

I’ve noticed from examining the opening NBA Championship odds to the average, some sites favored the Bucks and others have favored the Raptors.

That Game 7 buzzer beater on Mother’s Day was poetry in motion.

Check it out for yourself:

 

The Raptors will face a Milwaukee Bucks team that has something to prove.

Led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks have been the most dominant team in the NBA this year.

The Greek Freak is just icing on the cake for a team that also has Eric Bledsoe, Brook Lopez and Kris Middleton on their roster.

Per Basketball Society Online’s Alex Fischbein: The last time the Bucks finished with 60 or more wins was during the 1980-81 season. At that time, the Bucks were led by Sidney Moncrief, Bill Lanier, and Marques Johnson.

Just last season, the Milwaukee Bucks were scrapping and fighting just to stay above .500 with Jason Kidd as head coach. Mike Budenholzer took over and it’s a brand new ball game.

Per Basketball Society: During the NBA regular season, the Milwaukee Bucks were top ten in assists per game, first in points per game, second in blocks per game, first in rebounds per game, third in field goal percentage and second in three-pointers made per game.